Change in retirement plan for CEO

The Board of Handelsbanken has today decided to accommodate CEO Carina Åkerström’s wishes for a new contractual age of retirement – it will therefore be changed from the current age of 65 to 62. In all other respects her employment contract is unchanged. Carina Åkerström will be 62 years in October 2024.

“I have worked my whole adult life – over 35 years – at Handelsbanken, the past 25 of them in managerial, high-level positions. It has been incredibly interesting and enjoyable, but at times also quite demanding. So although I am still really happy in my present role, I feel that it’s time to start planning and preparing for a time after Handelsbanken,” says Carina Åkerström.

This spring, Carina Åkerström was elected to the board of forestry company, Holmen, her first assignment on the board of a listed company outside the Bank.

“Different and incredibly rewarding. This assignment made my thoughts more tangible as to what I would like to do in the future. My present role as CEO is far too time-consuming for other assignments at this level. So hopefully the proposals for similar assignments that I am forced to say no to at present, will continue to come in the future.”

Chairman of the Board of Handelsbanken, Pär Boman, expresses his understanding for Carina Åkerström’s plans for the future:

“While feeling a sense of regret that there is now a more concrete, final date, I think she is certainly worth this after all her hard work at the Bank. Carina Åkerström has always done a fantastic job for the Bank and still is. She has always delivered on exactly what she said she would when she became CEO: higher cost-efficiency, developing what the Bank is good at and phasing out what the Bank shouldn’t be doing. At the same time, under her leadership, Handelsbanken has reported record results – quarter after quarter.” 

The process of appointing her successor will now be initiated.

“Today, as always, Handelsbanken stands extremely strong and stable, thus giving the Board the opportunity to carry out this process in an orderly way,” says Pär Boman.

The change to Carina Åkerström’s retirement plan entails no increased costs for the Bank. Carina Åkerström has a defined-contribution pension plan corresponding to 35 per cent of her salary. The premium payments will cease at the time her employment ends.

For further information, please contact:
Pär Boman, Chairman of the Board +46 8 22 92 20
Carina Åkerström, President and Group Chief Executive Officer +46 8 22 92 20
Louise Sander, Chief Communications Officer, +46 70 3662635

This information is of the type that Handelsbanken is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, the Swedish Securities Markets Act and the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 14.00 CET on 17 August 2023. 

For more information about Handelsbanken, see: www.handelsbanken.com