2022-03-22
It is with great delight that we welcome Håkan Ekstrand, CEO of Tapflo AB, as the newest member of the board. Tapflo is a Swedish company that manufactures and sells industrial pumps for processes in the pharmaceutical industry and other areas.
Håkan Ekstrand has worked at Tapflo since 1992 after receiving a degree as a mechanical engineer. Håkan has lived for five years in Poland, two years in South Africa, six months in Russia and Japan, and traveled the world countless times, setting up a reseller network and subsidiaries. Today, he is the CEO of Tapflo AB in Sweden and COO of the Tapflo Group. In 2022, the company has around 400 employees.
Håkan Ekstrand has had solid experience serving as a board member. Among other merits, he has been on the board of Safe at Sea, a company that makes sea rescue watercraft, serving during the company’s internationalization journey. Håkan found his way to Sigicom via the Board Academy, where he has been active since 2010.
Welcome to Sigicom, Håkan. What drew your attention to Sigicom?
– Thank you! Sigicom’s business relates to the experience I have from Tapflo and I feel that I have a lot to share, not least about global marketing. Sigicom is a mature and stable company that already exists in several countries, but there is still a long way to go when it comes to internationalization. In addition, I’m finding the industry very exciting, and I am curious about Sigicom’s business concept.
What is your impression of Sigicom so far?
– I talked with Torbjörn Rehnström (CEO, Sigicom) and others in the company before I joined, and my expectations have been met.
It’s a great group of people and a good spread of experience on the board. I feel there is a willingness to listen and bring in new inputs. I’ve got a very good and driven impression!
From his career at Tapflo, Håkan has experience establishing companies in several different countries. It’s a background that will come in handy in Sigicom’s journey, which currently has offices in Sweden, France, UK, USA, and most recently in Canada.
Can you point to something that stands out with Sigicom?
– Something I find extra fun is that Sigicom has an external board to work with the major strategic matters and that the company has invested in starting subsidiaries. I see what Sigicom is doing currently and there is still a lot of potential ground to cover.
What do you see as Sigicom’s most important development areas?
– To get a proper digital imprint. It is impossible to meet people in all countries of the world, so getting a wider knowledge of Sigicom is important. As a board, we also want to focus on keeping a good culture as the company grows. Sigicom is a company that you work with, rather than a company you work for.