H&M names news tech chief as it speeds up digital drive

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 1, 2020

As digital sales become ever more important post-lockdown, more and more companies are investing heavily in the technology behind their e-tail sites and H&M Group’s latest move in this direction is to name Alan Boehme as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Previous CTO Joel Ankarberg now “fully assumes the role as Head of Group Strategy & Transformation,” another move that underlines the fashion retail giant’s determination to future-proof its business.

Boehme will, together with Chief Product Officer Daniel Claesson, be co-leading the new organisation Business Tech. The organisation is designed “to strengthen the ability to innovate and develop the business, ensuring an improved and smoother shopping experience for customers all over the world”.

“Alan’s long experience from previous technology-driven transformations at global consumer-oriented companies will contribute to the entire H&M group as we continue to digitalise and transform our business. We look forward to a strong addition to H&M Group and our new function Business Tech,” said group CEO Helena Helmersson.

That long experience includes various technology and management roles with multinational companies, most recently with Procter & Gamble. Before that he was with Coca-Cola. He also “holds a solid track record of leading global transformations and driving innovation work,” we’re told.

“The fashion industry is facing great changes, new opportunities and experiences for customers and societies because of technology advances at an ever-increasing pace,” Boehme said. “Combining technology advancements, will serve as a driver for H&M Group to become an even more customer-centric company where new growth opportunities are enabled”.