New management for Svenska Rallyt AB

Svenska Rallyt AB (The company organising Rally Sweden) has a new board and new owners. The change was decided at the annual meeting of shareholders in Karlstad on Monday, September 5th.

Glenn Olsson was also appointed new CEO after Bertil Klarin.

The work with reconstructing Svenska Rallyt AB was executed during the annual meeting of shareholders. Through a directed new share issue new money was brought into the company from the Swedish ASN, Svenska Bilsportförbundet (SBF) and Uvåns Näringslivscenter AB in Hagfors.

– Our common goal is to strengthen the company’s economy, make Rally Sweden into an attractive business partner and secure the events place in the the WRC calendar, says Glenn Olsson.

Olsson, who also is head of development in the municipality of Hagfors, has also had a seat in the board for Svenska Rallyt AB since 2007 and before that worked as CEO for Svenska Rallyt Event AB, a subsidiary company to Svenska Rallyt AB.

SBF and Uvåns Näringslivscenter becomes major owners with 45, 9 % each of the shares. The other nine owners – The Royal Automobile Club and eight motoring clubs from the county of Värmland – owns 0,9 % each.

– The Swedish Automobile Sports Federation (SBF) strengthens its commitment to Svenska Rallyt in a unique way. It is not common that we engage in separate events at this level, but we see it as very important to secure the WRC event and there is a broad consensus for our decision. We feel that it is possible to develop the rally in many ways and look forward to being a part of the events future, says Kåge Schildt, chairman of The Swedish Automobile Sports Federation.

The new major owners have three seats each in the new board. SBF will be represented by Kenneth Thorén, Leif Nilsson and the chairman of the board since a year back, Lars Österlind.

Uvåns Näringslivscenter has, apart from CEO Glenn Olsson, appointed Andreas Slätt and Norwegian Erik Veiby.

– The solution with SBF and Uvåns Näringslivscenter as new major owners ads stability. Both are very caring of the events continued development in the region and the new appointments into the board shows that they are committed to creating stability in the company again. The future for WRC looks bright and we already have two new manufacturers coming in. I really look forward to leading the board work together with the new board members and the new CEO, says Chairman Lars Österlind.

Former CEO for Svenska Rallyt AB, Bertil Klarin, will continue with the company as Clerk of the Course for the WRC event Rally Sweden, which in 2012 will be held February 9-12.