Non-Family Crisis Manager as Dynasty Insurance

“To maintain real control over a company, simply owning it is not enough. One must also have executive power in their hands – without it, the influence is limited to what is decided in the boardroom and at shareholders’ meetings. If the Rausing family did not have someone in the CEO position, they would no longer have total control over the operations. Especially since Holger had a controlling stake in the company and could thus block decision-making. But Ruben had no choice: if Holger did not take over the actual management of Tetra Pak, it was not only the dynasty building that would crumble, but the entire life’s work: Åkerlund & Rausing, Östanå, and Tetra Pak.”

“Holger realized that he had the necessary support from the board members who were not part of the Rausing family to demand what he needed to save the company. Therefore, he requested that the executive committee should be superior to the CEO and not be on equal terms with him. “Otherwise, we will never get any order and clarity in the business of this company,” he clarified firmly.”