After more than 30 years spent with the Swedish furniture giant, Ikea CEO Jesper Brodin has announced he will be stepping down next year, promising “a glorious future” lies ahead for the company.
Discussing the news on LinkedIn, Brodin said the decision had “not been an easy one to take, but I truly feel this is a good time”.
Brodin says he plans to remain at the company until the end of February 2026. He will be succeeded by longtime colleague and current deputy CEO, Juvencio Maeztu, who will step into the role in November of this year.
Brodin first joined Ikea as the company’s purchase manager for Pakistan in 1995. He then worked his way up through various roles, including range & supply manager for Southeast Asia, regional purchase manager for China, then becoming CEO of Ikea range & supply in 2013. He eventually succeeded Peter Agnefjäll as CEO of Ikea and Ingka Group in September 2017.
He was also named as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year in 2024.
He commented: “I am proud of how we, together, have navigated unprecedented challenges across the last years, always guided by our culture and values, while transforming Ikea to an omnichannel retailer with sustainability at our core. At this moment, we are serving more people in better ways than ever before. The house is in good order and I am proud of Ikea’s performance. As always in Ikea, it’s a team effort. What we have done, we have done together.
“To get to be a part of the Ikea community of 170 000+ colleagues across the last 30 years has been a privilege and a joy. Over the years I have had the opportunity to get to know people across the world and develop deep friendships, memories and experiences that will last for a lifetime.
He concluded: “I am genuinely optimistic about Ikea’s growth and development. Though we come a long way, most things remain to be done. What a glorious future.”