New Campus and Property Director wants to strengthen KI’s future campus
On 7 September, Hans Antehed took up the role of Campus and Property Director at Karolinska Institutet. He joins KI from his most recent position as Head of Real Estate at Sandvik Coromant. In his new role he is responsible not only for KI’s premises and estate portfolio, but also for the development of the campus environments in Solna and Flemingsberg.
The ambition is for KI to play a more active role in shaping the future development of its campuses and surrounding areas together with Akademiska Hus, the Stockholm region and other stakeholders.
What attracted you to the role of Campus and Estates Director at KI?
“I was drawn by the combination of an important societal mission and a highly complex estate and campus environment, where property-related matters can make a genuine contribution to the development of the organisation’s core activities.”
You have extensive experience from complex organisations. What will you bring to this role?
“At the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA), I spent many years working in a government-funded, knowledge-intensive organisation with advanced laboratory and operational facilities, where safety and functionality were paramount. From my most recent role as Head of Real Estate at Sandvik Coromant, I bring experience from a complex industrial environment with a strong focus on efficiency and financial sustainability. What both settings have in common is that premises and property must be designed around operational needs and support the organisation’s ability to perform and evolve.”
A great deal is currently happening across KI’s campuses. From your perspective, what are the key challenges over the coming years?
“One important challenge will be to develop a clear and long-term sustainable estate strategy for KI’s two campuses, while at the same time making more effective use of existing space. This will require clear priorities for investment and development, as well as close collaboration between the organisation, the estates function and our property owners.”
How would you describe your vision for KI’s campuses in three to five years’ time?
“In three to five years, I hope KI will have established a clear and sustainable long-term direction for its campuses, with attractive and functional environments that support research, education and innovation. Facilities should be used efficiently and be able to evolve in line with organisational needs, with distinct and complementary roles for Solna and Flemingsberg. The estates organisation should be a strategic partner to the wider organisation and maintain strong, well-developed relationships with our property owners.”