AB Volvo names Chalmers president Sundgren to its executive committee

AB Volvo has hired Jan-Eric Sundgren, the president of Chalmers University of Technology, to become a member of its executive committee, overseeing the Swedish carmaker's ties with public authorities and academia.

Sundgren will also be heading the Volvo group’s pubic relations unit. In his new capacity, he will be working on engineering and research-related matters. In addition, he will be in charge of emission and environmental issues as well as safety, Sundgren told Science|Business.

"My hope is [with Volvo] I could contribute to the transportation industry, the society or to the country," said Sundgren. "Certainly my appointment could imply Volvo is trying to change the context with universities." Sundgren also suggested his appointment could bring diversity to the carmaker’s management, given his broad background, technical knowledge and academic contacts.

Sundgren was previously Secretary General of the Swedish Research Council for Engineering Sciences, Vice Chairman of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and Professor of Solid State Physics at Linköping University.

"I have learned a lot from this job and one thing I have learned is you have to act in a fast way to make decisions," said Sundgren. He said he would like to see a "she" take the job he leaves at Chalmers - in the 176 years of the university's history no woman has ever become its president. "I think it's about time," he said.

Sundgren, who became president at Chalmers in autumn 1998, will join Volvo once a successor at Chalmers has been found. He said the process could take four to six months.