Business Investment Firm Ratos Hires Communication and Sustainability Leader: 4 Things to Know

Ratos has hired OX2 veteran Katarina Grönwall as VP of communication & sustainability, the diversified business investment management firm announced. Gronwall succeeded Josefine Uppling, who exited for a new opportunity in March 2025.

Here are four things to know about the Ratos business and sustainability strategy, and Grönwall's executive experience.

1. Business Scope and Scale: Ratos, founded in 1866, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company focuses on three business areas: (1) industry, (2) construction and services, and (3) consumer. Ratos, backed by nearly 11,000 employees, generated 32 billion in SEK (US$3.24 billion) across 15 businesses in 2024.

The company has been "streamlining" its business in recent months. Key moves include selling Airteam -- a ventilation solutions provider -- in March 2025.

2. Sustainability Strategy, Goals and Milestones: During 2024, Ratos introduced new sustainability targets for climate impact and gender equality, and joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Among the key goals: Ratos has set both short-term (by 2030) and long-term (by 2050) targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the company said. Moreover, Ratos is seeking to achieve a 40/60 ratio of women and men in senior positions by 2030. 

3. Executive Experience: Katarina Grönwall joined Ratos as VP of communication & sustainability in March 2025. She has over 30 years of experience in management roles within communications and sustainability, as well as extensive experience working in management groups for listed companies, Ratos said. Grönwall previously held key posts at OX2, Skanska Group, the Sweco Group and Handelsbanken.

4. Executive Perspectives: In a prepared statement, Ratos President and CEO Jonas Wiström said: “I’m very happy to have recruited Katarina Grönwall. She has long-standing, broad experience in communications and sustainability, which are central areas in Ratos’s continued growth. We are continuing to develop and transform at a rapid pace. I am convinced that 2025 will be an exciting year and that Katarina’s previous experience will bring great value to Ratos."

Grönwall added: “Ratos is a robust company in an exciting phase and I look forward to continuing to develop and drive communications and sustainability as they’re integrated into the business. The strategy for the coming years will involve continued transformation, including divestments of existing subsidiaries to become a more focused business group, primarily within technological solutions. It will be incredibly exciting to work actively on the development of the company and I look forward to becoming a part of the Ratos team."

Chief Sustainability Officers: Why Technology Partners Should Care

By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.

The bottom line: Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO customer needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.