IKEA India appoints Patrik Antoni as CEO to lead next growth phase 

Swedish home furnishings retailer IKEA India has announced the appointment of Patrik Antoni as CEO from August this year. Together with the Country Retail Manager & CSO (Chief Sustainability Manager), Antoni will further strengthen the company’s leadership setup in India.

“I am excited to return to India, a market that holds a special place in my career. India is a truly unique market with immense potential for growth. I look forward to bringing my experience, energy, and deep commitment to IKEA’s values to support our ambitious expansion plans, making IKEA even more accessible to the many people in India,” said Patrik Antoni in a statement.

Antoni will lead the company’s retail operations and common functions across Ingka companies in India, working closely with the Country Retail Manager & Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) to implement a unified strategy. With over two decades of experience at IKEA and a comprehensive understanding of the IKEA value chain, Antoni is expected to bring strategic direction to the company's next phase of operations in India.

Having previously served a five-year stint as Deputy CEO of IKEA India, Antoni was instrumental in launching the brand's first store in Hyderabad. Following that, he served as General Manager of IKEA Russia, overseeing all Ingka operations there.

“The appointment of Patrik Antoni as the India lead comes as IKEA accelerates its growth and expansion in the country, capitalising on India's extraordinary economic development. Strengthening of the leadership in India underlines the company's commitment to deepening its presence and creating a bigger impact through IKEA’s business operations in India,” the company said in a statement.

The leadership reshuffle comes as IKEA focuses on broadening its omnichannel presence and reaching more customers across urban and emerging cities. IKEA currently operates three large-format stores in Hyderabad, Navi Mumbai, and Bengaluru, along with a city store in Mumbai’s Worli and its first Plan and Order Point in Bengaluru. The company is also investing in a sustainable supply chain with two distribution centres in Pune and Gurgaon, and is leading carbon-free deliveries in multiple cities, including Delhi-NCR, Agra, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and others.

As part of the leadership transition, Susanne Pulverer, the current Country Retail Manager & CSO, will be stepping down. Pulverer has spent 28 years with IKEA, including over eight years in India across three different assignments, and has been a key figure in driving the company’s commercial growth and transformation.

India remains a priority market for Ingka Group, IKEA’s parent company. The brand aims to offer over 7,000 affordable, sustainable products to Indian consumers by combining offline formats with e-commerce and deep insights into local home-living needs.