IKEA with the new leader. The Pole will manage the world giant
Historical change in IKEA. For the first time, a Pole – Jakub Jankowski will take the head of the global giant in January 2026.
From January 1, 2026, Inter IKEA Group will have a new leader. The President’s position will be taken by a Pole, Jakub Jankowski, the current managing director of IKEA Industry. This is a historic moment – for the first time in the history of the company, the leadership will be taken over by a person outside Sweden. Jankowski will replace Jon Abrahamsson Ring, who after 20 years of work, including five as a CEO, gives way to the position.
Pole at the top
The new boss has been associated with IKEA since 2001, when he started his career in Poland. In time, he was promoted to subsequent levels – from the store manager, by the president’s assistant, to the industrial part of the concern. He gained experience in many countries, including in Romania, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. He emphasizes that the nomination is a great honor and challenge for him.
Inter ikea Group is responsible for the production and delivery of furniture and giving franchise to retail shops around the world. It is this part of the concern that Jankowski will lead from 2026. The new CEO includes a function in a difficult moment – the global economy is measured with inflation, growing geopolitical uncertainty and disturbances in supply chains.
In an interview with the Reuters agency, Jankowski emphasized that his priority would be to ensure the availability of products and maintain their affordable prices. “In the face of inflation and the falling purchasing power of consumers, it is crucial for IKEA to be even more accessible and important to customers,” he noted.
Ikea
The history of the company, which Jankowski will take in management, dates back to 1943. Ingvar Kamprad, then a 17-year-old, began operating by selling pens and watches in Swedish Småland. Over time, he created a brand that revolutionized the furniture market, introducing the concept of simple to assembly of products.
The name IKEA comes from the initials of Kamprada and names of the locations of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd. Today, the brand logo is recognized almost all over the world, and the network includes hundreds of stores and tens of thousands of employees.
Taking the position by Jakub Jankowski is a symbolic moment for the whole organization and proof that Polish managers are playing an increasingly important role in the management of global concerns.
