The chief executive's group found itself at the centre of a political tug of war in 2019, following the seizure of one of its tankers, Stena Impero, in Iranian waters
SWEDISH billionaire and industrialist Dan Sten Olsson has been Stena’s chief executive and managing director for approaching 40 years.
He took the company’s reins in 1983 from his father and group founder, the late Sten Olsson, who apparently named his son after the first ship he bought back in 1946, according to Forbes.
Stena has had an eventful 2019 after finding itself at the centre of a political storm following the seizure of the Stena Impero, a tanker owned by subsidiary Stena Bulk, in Iranian waters.
However, Mr Olsson maintains his Top 100 status largely due to the group’s involvement in the Swedish Northvolt project, a landmark initiative for battery-based ferry operations, which demonstrates a strong commitment to a sustainability strategy.
The ferry Stena Jutlandica is being gradually converted to run on battery power alone between its route between Gothenburg and Fredrikshaven.
In 2019, battery operation was connected to two of the vessel’s four main engines, so Stena Jutlandica can run solely on electricity in inshore waters.
Meanwhile, Stena Line, the core shipping interest of the group — which, in addition to Stena Bulk, includes Stena RoRo, Northern Marine Group and Stena Teknik — will take on a major redeployment of its fleet in 2020, according to Mr Olsson.
This includes the rollout of five newbuilds to take the number of ferries flying the Stena Line flag up to 164 vessels, cementing its place as one of the world’s largest operators, serving ports around the Baltic, North and Irish Seas.
Mr Olsson also appeared in the Top 100 in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.