Welcome back to another episode of Faces of Geobrugg, a series where we present the people behind our company’s success.
In this interview, Johan Persson will tell us more about himself and what he does for Geobrugg.

Johan, you have been working with Geobrugg for over two years now. You started as a country manager for the Nordic countries and are now the regional manager. How did your position evolve in this new role?
I started as a Country Manager for the Nordic countries, which primarily focused on underground mining. Over time, my role expanded significantly, and I am now the Regional Manager for Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic countries. This broader responsibility includes challenges such as mining in Sweden and Finland, rockfall protection in Norway, and coastal erosion in the Baltics. Having a regional manager for the Nordic countries makes perfect sense to me due to the similar mentality and ways of working across these regions. Additionally, a new colleague, Svein Halsne, joined us as a Country Manager for Norway and Iceland.

What are the requirements for this role?
Besides my background as a geologist, it’s crucial to understand people, their problems, and their way of thinking. You need to adopt a broader perspective and implement strategies that are beneficial in the long term. The technical knowledge we receive from Romanshorn has allowed me a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of the role.

How do you experience working remotely for a company in a different country?
Working remotely can be challenging, but there is still an exchange for me since I share an office with two other employees from Brugg Pipes. This helps me to maintain a routine. However, my colleagues are my customers, and I regularly visit them. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit Romanshorn quite often. Despite the flexibility of remote work, I prefer to go to the office to stay connected.

What is your personal work-related goal?
I want to meet our sales goals and achieve organic growth in the Nordic countries. Additionally, I want to expand the market and raise government awareness about natural hazard risks. The Nordic region has great potential and was one of the first markets Geobrugg developed outside Switzerland.

What do you think will help you to develop your market even further?
I plan to foster cooperation with universities. As a student, I wished more private companies had offered practical projects. Students look forward to such opportunities. Participating in exhibitions and promoting our solutions is also crucial. Besides mining, I want to push for more rockfall and slope protection, especially in Sweden and Norway. We also see a need for other solutions, such as coastal erosion protection. 

You have a lot going on; we look forward to hearing more from your region. Before we wrap this up, what’s a fun fact you’d like to tell us about yourself?
I grew up in Chile; I moved there when I was two years old and stayed until I was 19. Afterward, I moved back to Sweden for my studies and have since worked in Spain and Sweden. I have two toddlers, and I only speak Spanish to them. My rule is if we live in Sweden, we speak Spanish at home, and if we live in a Spanish-speaking country, we speak Swedish. Since my wife also speaks both languages, we can comfortably follow this rule. 

That’s awesome; your children are lucky to grow up bilingual! Thanks again for this insightful interview, Johan!