An interview with Erik Bohman, our new EVP Business Unit Steel

Erik Bohman, EVP Business Unit Steel

We are excited to have Erik Bohman join our team and our quest for production of green steel. As EVP Business Unit Steel, Erik will lead our efforts to get ready for production in Boden. 

He brings more than 20 years of industrial experience, as well as deep expertise from the steel industry. Prior to joining H2 Green Steel, Erik was the President of Business Unit Hofors at Ovako, a leading European manufacturer of engineering steel. Erik also has a background from McKinsey & Company and leading roles in three consecutive buy-out situations.

As we ramp up the process of building our green steel plant in Boden, Erik shared his vision for the operations in Boden and Luleå, and how he came to join our company.

Erik, what was your first impression when you heard of the plans for the H2 Green Steel production site in Boden? 

The first thing that struck me was just the magnitude of what we are building in Norrbotten, that everything is incredibly large – the initial investment is 2,5-3 billion Euro. We are talking about an area that spans close to 1000 acres, with a capacity that is greater than the total steel production in Sweden today.

Going forward, what will be your priorities?

The first thing on our agenda is getting all permits approved by the Land- and Environment Court. After that, scaling our operations and production will require everything from a reliable electricity grid to investments in local infrastructure, including roads and railroads, and improving the capacity of the Port of Luleå. This process will require a lot of smart, capable people, so another key mission of ours will be to find and recruit a strong and diverse team.

What kind of talent are you looking to hire at H2 Green Steel?

There is a great deal of innovation going into a project like this, and Norrbotten is not only home to a world class talent pool in metallurgy and steel production, but also within industrial digitalization. However, we will have to strengthen that local expertise as we are looking for talent in emerging sectors ranging from hydrogen and green direct reduced iron, to advanced machine learning technology.

We are likely building the largest and first fully integrated green steel mill in the world. I think the top talent out there will find it appealing to be part of building and developing something from scratch, without legacy, instead of spending their time solving problems and technical challenges that stem from decisions made 20-30 years ago. 

That said, we will also be looking broadly as we believe talent can be found everywhere. If you are working as a chef, which is a job where you get very good at multitasking, or perhaps as a pilot, or have served in the military – you may be just the right fit for us. 

There are of course roles where a very specific, niche technical skill is required, but for someone with qualities that could add value to H2 Green Steel, we can provide the right tools, training and upskilling. 

What made you decide to join H2 Green Steel?

I have a background in private equity owned companies, where I had crossed paths with Harald Mix. One morning in February, when I was in my kitchen having breakfast, I read about this new company that was launched, and that Henrik Henriksson was leaving Scania to assume the role of CEO. It felt like industrial history in the making. So, after launch, I called Harald to ask if the team could use my help – and here we are. 

Were there any doubts?

None. However, I do understand how you could be a bit nervous about leaving a safe and comfortable job for a company that is in its early development stage. But for me, the opportunities by far outweighed any potential risks. The main attraction is the impact aspects of the company – A real opportunity to battle climate change. The other thing is that it is simply such an incredibly thrilling project to be a part of – it is, again, industrial history in the making. I also think I was influenced by having witnessed the success of Northvolt, that a huge and ambitious project of this kind actually is feasible.