New CFO to take Wila to the international level

The ‘ship’ is loaded with the right competences among the staff, the strategy for the journey has been devised, and, right before the ‘ship’ is launched, a new member of the company’s management is now on board. Ole Kannerup Rasmussen begins in his new job on March 15 and will be Wila’s next CFO. This will happen by means of a smooth generational change.

The past many years have been an exciting journey for Wila, and, with a new and ambitious strategy implemented in the spring 2020, the company is now ready to set a new course. Although the company is rooted in the local virtues of Mid-Jutland, it is now looking at an international future. At the same time, Industri Udvikling has become part of Wila’s repertoire.

For these reasons Wila’s current CFO and co-owner Jette Wittrup approached CEO Ilhami Alicia and told him that she thought it was the right time for a generational change that could bring new resources to the company. Jette Wittrup and her husband, Lars Lauridsen, have spent the past 22 years building up the company.

“It’s time for lifting the CFO role to the next level and there’s a need for some tools that I don’t have. Our journey has been blessed with many skilled and dedicated members of staff and I’m pleased with and proud of what we’ve achieved. Now I’m ready to pass it all on,” says Jette Wittrup.

The right profile for Wila

When Jette approached Ilhami Alici, he began looking for a new CFO for Wila. The recruitment company Boyden Denmark was asked to handle this task, personality profiles of all relevant candidates were prepared, and several rounds of interviews were carried out. All this took place to ensure that the right profile would eventually be found. And the members of the committee that handled the interviews were in no doubt.

Ole Kannerup Rasmussen was elected for the position based on his many years of experience of financial management when he was employed with Arla, Corus Building Systems Nordic, Metso Denmark and InnoScan. These jobs provided him with experience of local production companies that are similar to Wila and experience of large groups with the international mindset for which Wila is now aiming.

“It’s important to Wila that our CFO is the right one in terms of our values. And Ole has exactly the qualities that we’re looking for. He’s hard-working, loyal, skilled and curious and knows how to make a team work,” says Ilhami Alici.

Ready to be part of the journey

As Wila’s new CFO Ole Kannerup will have the responsibility for finances, IT and HR, and he will be Ilhami Alici’s right hand when it comes to finances. One of his jobs will be to spearhead the implementation of a new ERP system that is to support and efficiency-improve the company’s administrative processes.

“Ole will be the man whom I and the rest of the management team will ask when we need financial advice, sparring and the right analyses and reports. He will go through our figures very thoroughly and act as the traditional CFO profile who demands that you live within your means. But, most importantly, we’ve chosen him because he can be a part of our new strategy,” says Ilhami Alici.

It is not only Wila’s CEO who is pleased with the successful process. After the first interview Ole Kannerup Rasmussen soon felt that Wila was exactly the company that could present him with the challenges that he was looking for in his career.

“I consider Wila to be a well-run company with a good basis of very competent people and a large potential that will be brought into play thanks to the new strategy. I look forward to being a part of that. I sense that Wila has a good mindset and a special view of its employees that is attractive and unique. I look forward to meeting my new colleagues and to getting to know the company,” says Ole Kannerup Rasmussen.

Smooth generational change

In order to get to know Wila to the core the new CFO will be skillfully trained by Jette Wittrup. The generational change will take place by means of a smooth transition over time where Jette will stay with the company until Ole feels that he is ready for handling things himself.

“Together with Lars and our amazing staff I’ve been a part of creating the culture and the mindset, and I have a great desire that these things should live on. Wila is my fourth baby, and this is why I want to help Ole get things right from the beginning. I look forward to him joining the team and I’m sure that Wila will benefit from his expertise and that our company will see even more progress when it comes to finances,” says Jette Wittrup, who will now have more time to spend with her family and more time to prepare for the marathon and walk the Camino, where she is preparing for completing the entire stretch.

Ole Kannerup Rasmussen is pleased with the prospect of having Jette as his sparring partner during his initial time with Wila. He is going to approach things in a humble way in order to preserve the strong foundation of the company. “It makes me feel safe that Jette can provide me with a lot of knowledge; that way I’ll be better prepared for understanding the core of Wila. When it’s time for Jette to resign, it’ll be my job to handle the financial side of things by challenging and supporting the business and other functions,” he says.

Our new CFO will start at Wila on March 15.