Inter Ikea Group has announced that Jakub Jankowski will take over the role as chief executive of the company from Jon Abrahamsson Ring.

Inter Ikea is the group of companies that connects Ikea franchisees with range development and suppliers and aligns the overall strategic direction of the furniture retailer.

Jankowski, who has spent over 21 years working with the furniture retail company, will take up his new role in January next year.

He started his career at Ikea’s store in Örebro, Sweden and has held several senior roles, including assistant to Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad.

Jankowski joined Ikea in Poland in 2001 and has since held positions in Romania, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden across several roles, including store manager, chief executive assistant, category area manager and deputy trading area manager.

“Big thanks to Jon for all his contributions to Ikea and for successfully leading the business through a period of global disruptions and big transformation,” said Anders Dahlvig, chairman of Inter Ikea Holding. “During his leadership, IKEA has become more affordable, accessible and sustainable.

“Jakub Jankowski is an experienced and value-based leader with a great understanding of the value chain, and I am very happy that he has accepted to take the role as new CEO of Inter Ikea group”

Inter Ikea Group includes a number of Ikea’s businesses including Inter Ikea Systems, Ikea of Sweden and Ikea Supply.

The Ikea retail business is operated through a franchise system with franchisees that are authorised to market and sell the Ikea product range within specified geographical territories.

Inter Ikea Systems is the worldwide Ikea franchisor, which also assigns different Ikea companies to develop the range, supply products and build communication solutions.

Around 12 different groups of companies own and operate Ikea sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter Ikea Systems.

Last week, Ikea Retail announced the appointment of Burce Gültekin as its new chief data and analytics officer, succeeding Francesco Marzoni, who departs after more than four years in the role.

Gültekin joins from FrieslandCampina, a Dutch multinational dairy cooperative, where she most recently served as chief information officer and chief data and analytics officer, leading data and technology strategies focused on growth and optimisation.

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