I N T E RV I E W Hggstrm, pictured second from right, on the 2012 FIDI MiM course There are no industry conferences, no meetings, no forums like the ones we have in moving. I decided then that this really is something I want to be doing Hggstrms experience and training has shown him that successful leadership is about recognising that his role is one of service, to company employees as much as customers. The Managing Director works for the staff, not the other way around, he says. It is my responsibility to provide the best possible conditions for all staff to succeed as an employee of the group. This includes removing obstacles to staff members professional development, making sure they are in the right place at the right time and helping them concentrate on the important things. In times of crisis none more so than the pandemic these important things are primarily related to looking after employees wellbeing. Taking this insideout approach across all branches of the company sets the group up for serving its clients well, he says. Last year serves as an example that the world can be a strange place, and everyone can use an act of kindness or a little help every day. When we adapt this culture of helping each other, eventually this is passed on to our clients and agent partners around the world, says Hggstrm. Evidently the business has thrived during a time of exceptional crisis, with revenue growing across the group between 2019 and 2020. We were faced with a challenge beyond imagination, but we adapted to the circumstances, says Hggstrm. Moving forward, we need to recognise we have multiple companies in the group and my job is to maintain a synchronised approach to things and ensure that we are communicating and benchmarking across the board. Every company in the group is unique and has its own strength, and my job is to ensure synergies are beneficial for everyone involved while maintaining a friendly competitive environment that drives each business to better performance. After 14 years working in the moving and relocation business, Hggstrm says he has absolutely no intention of going anywhere else. There are times in every movers life when they think how do I get out of this industry? but I havent seriously considered leaving the industry once during my years in it, he says. I learn new things every day. It can seem sometimes as if we find new ways to make it complicated for ourselves, but for me the satisfaction comes from solving these challenges and making a straight line from A to B. WITH THANKS TO Carl Hggstrm on some of the people who have inspired and helped him in his moving industry journey. Jesse van Sas, FIDI Jesse was the trainer at my first seminar with the FIDI Academy (EiM 2009); and the second one, too, the MiM. He has always been there to support and share opinions on industry-related topics and has become a good friend over the years. Bengt Jnsson Bengt is former shareholder of Alfa Quality Moving and the person who made it possible for me to 38 FF301 Q2 21 pp36-39 Carl Haggstrom.indd 38 work in Asia. He has been a bit of a mentor for me and has introduced me to a lot of people in the industry. Paul Bernardt and Maurice Bijleveld These are my dear friends from the Harmony Relocation Network. Without them I would not have had the pleasure of getting to know so many Harmony members Classic Moving might not be a Harmony member today if it were not for them. Charles Leo Executive Director of The Family Movers and DSP Singapore. I have known Charles for 13 years. He was the one who welcomed me to Singapore when I first got here, and he has been crucial in my journey to making Singapore my home country. I now have the pleasure of getting to work with him as part of the management team of CFM Alliance. Brad Street Brad and I got acquainted in 2015 and it has been an absolute pleasure working with and for him for the past five years. Without Brad, I would not be where I am today and I have learned so much from him since we got to know each other. WWW. F I D I FOC U S . OR G 09/03/2021 14:45 F