Eric Alström appointed new Group President & CEO of Hempel
Hempel’s Board of Directors appoints Eric Alström as Group President & CEO, succeeding Michael Hansen and following a period of interim leadership by Peter la Cour Gormsen and Emilie Barriau.
Key messages:
- Eric Alström is appointed new Group President & CEO of Hempel A/S, effective 1 August 2026. He replaces Michael Hansen, who left Hempel in June 2026, and joins following a period of interim leadership by Peter la Cour Gormsen, EVP & CFO and Emilie Barriau, EVP & CTO.
- Eric brings more than three decades of international executive leadership experience across industrial technology, automotive and manufacturing. He most recently served as President of Danfoss Power Solutions, a EUR 5bn global leader in hydraulics and electrification.
- Eric knows Hempel well through his previous role as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors from 2017 to 2024.
Copenhagen, 3 July 2026: Effective 1 August 2026, Eric Alström is appointed Group President & CEO of Hempel A/S. He succeeds Michael Hansen, who resigned and left Hempel in June 2026, and joins the company following a period of interim leadership by Peter la Cour Gormsen, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer and Emilie Barriau, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer.
Eric Alström joins Hempel with more than 30 years of international executive leadership experience from Europe, the USA, Japan and China across industrial technology, automotive and manufacturing. He brings a strong track record of leading global businesses, driving transformation and delivering profitable organic growth. He holds a Master’s degree in Management from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Most recently, Eric served as President of Danfoss Power Solutions, where he led Danfoss’ largest business segment with full global responsibility, strengthening its market position through profitable organic growth, strategic acquisitions and a strong focus on customers and products. Danfoss Power Solutions is a EUR 5bn global leader in hydraulics and electrification.
Eric has a deep understanding of Hempel through his previous role as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, a position he held from 2017 to 2024.
Commenting on the appointment, Richard Sand, Chair of the Board of Directors, says: “On behalf of the Board, I am very pleased to welcome Eric Alström as new Group President & CEO of Hempel. Eric is an experienced international business leader with a strong track record of driving growth, transformation and innovation in global industrial businesses. He also knows Hempel well through his previous service on our Board, and we are very confident that he is the right person to lead Hempel through its extremely exciting next phase with full focus on strong growth and value creation.”
Hempel’s Board of Directors expresses its appreciation to Peter la Cour Gormsen and Emilie Barriau for their leadership during the interim period, ensuring continuity and progress while the CEO succession process was completed.
####
Anja Berg Winther
Vice President, Communications
Email: communications@hempel.com
Tel: +45 20761961
About Hempel
As a world-leading supplier of trusted coating solutions, Hempel is a global company with strong values, working with customers in the decorative, marine, infrastructure and energy industries. Hempel factories, R&D centres and stock points are established in every region.
Across the globe, Hempel’s paints and coatings protect and beautify buildings, infrastructure and other assets, and play an essential role in our customers’ businesses. They help minimise maintenance costs, improve aesthetics and increase energy efficiency.
We are guided by our purpose - Make our world last longer, beautifully - which is our shared call to action: to protect what matters, enhanced by colour and craftsmanship.
Hempel was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1915. It is majority owned by the Hempel Foundation, which ensures a solid economic base for the Hempel Group and supports cultural, social, humanitarian and scientific purposes around the world.
