Helena Helmersson served as CEO of H&M Group (Hennes & Mauritz AB) from January 2020 to January 2024, making her the first woman and first non-member of the Persson family to lead the company in its history. Appointed to succeed Karl-Johan Persson, Helmersson was a 25-year H&M veteran who had risen from a section manager in the buying office to Chief Operating Officer. She was widely recognized for championing sustainability throughout H&M’s global supply chain. She resigned on January 31, 2024, stating she no longer had the energy to continue in such a demanding role. She was immediately succeeded by Daniel Ervér.

(Suggested: H&M CEO Daniel Ervér — Email & Net Worth)

Helena Helmersson – Quick Facts

Helena Helmersson Net Worth & Salary

During her tenure as H&M CEO, Helena Helmersson earned total compensation of approximately SEK 23.35 million (~$2.2 million USD) in her final full fiscal year (2023). Her exact net worth has not been publicly disclosed, though it is estimated at $3–5 million USD based on her cumulative executive compensation over four years as CEO and prior senior roles. Unlike many CEOs of publicly traded companies, Helmersson was a professional manager rather than a major shareholder in the Persson family-controlled company.

H&M CEO Compensation – Helena Helmersson

Career History & Education

Helena Helmersson spent her entire executive career at H&M Group, joining the company in 1997 immediately after graduating from Umeå University. She began as a section manager in the buying office and steadily rose through roles in production, sustainability, and operations across three continents.

In 2007, she relocated to Dhaka, Bangladesh to serve as H&M’s production manager, giving her firsthand experience of the supply chain challenges and working conditions in garment factories. She later moved to Hong Kong as department manager for underwear production before returning to Stockholm in 2010 to take charge of social responsibility and sustainability.

As Head of Sustainability from 2010 to 2015, Helmersson became one of the most prominent sustainability advocates in the fast-fashion industry. She led initiatives to phase out hazardous chemicals from H&M’s supply chain, established the company’s garment recycling programme, and pushed for greater transparency in supply chain practices.

She was promoted to Global Head of Production in 2015, overseeing H&M’s massive sourcing operations spanning over 1,800 supplier factories. In 2018, she became Chief Operating Officer, and in January 2020, she was named CEO — leading H&M through the COVID-19 pandemic, store closures, and a subsequent recovery period.

Helena Helmersson Career Timeline

Education

Helena Helmersson graduated with a Master of Science in International Business Administration from the Umeå School of Business and Economics (Umeå University) in 1997. In 2020, Umeå University honored her with an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Social Sciences for her commitment to sustainability issues in the global fashion industry.

Helena Helmersson Wiki – Age, Family & Personal Life

Helena Helmersson, age 52, was born in October 1973 in Skellefteå, a town in northern Sweden, where she grew up with her parents and two sisters. She is married to Jens Helmersson, the founder of Quizrr, a Swedish digital training platform company. The couple have two children and live in Danderyd Municipality, a suburb north of Stockholm.

Outside of work, Helmersson is known for her love of the outdoors, including hiking and skiing in the Swedish mountains, as well as weight training and running.

Awards & Recognitions

• Fortune Most Powerful Women (2023) – Ranked 41st on Fortune’s global list
• BoF 500 Member – Named to the Business of Fashion 500, the definitive list of people shaping the global fashion industry
• Honorary Doctorate, Umeå University (2020) – Awarded by the Faculty of Social Sciences for her commitment to sustainability
• World Retail Congress Speaker (2025, 2026) – Featured panelist on sustainability and fashion leadership

What Is Helena Helmersson Doing Now? (2026)

Since leaving H&M, Helena Helmersson has built a portfolio of governance and sustainability advisory roles. She serves on the board of On Holding AG (the Swiss athletic shoe company behind On running shoes), having been elected at the AGM in May 2025. She joined the Mango board as an independent director in July 2025, bringing her fashion retail expertise to the Spanish brand. She also chairs Circulose, a Swedish textile-to-textile recycling company, and serves on the board of Quizrr, her husband’s digital training company.

About H&M Group

H&M Group (Hennes & Mauritz AB) is a Swedish multinational fashion retail company headquartered in Stockholm. Founded in 1947 by Erling Persson, H&M has grown into one of the world’s largest fashion retailers. The company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange (STO: HM-B) and remains controlled by the Persson family through their investment company Ramsbury Invest.

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Article last updated:March 2026March 3, 2026