New Managing Director of NTI A/S: "Happy Employees Create the Foundation for a Successful Business."
June 2023As of the 1st of June 2023, Johan Harrestrup will take the seat as managing director in NTI A/S after Jesper Kalko. He will thus lead the 151 employees in Denmark, who work every day to digitize the design and construction processes in the construction, design, and manufacturing industries.
The 1st of June 2023 marks a generational shift in NTI A/S (NTI). After 28 years, Jesper Kalko passes on the director's chair to Johan Harrestrup as only the fourth director in NTI's nearly 80-year history.
Johan knows the business areas and very special culture at NTI inside out. Since 2015, he has had his daily routine at the head office in Værløse. First as project manager and most recently as division manager for the consultants in the construction department. It is here he has excelled and gotten the experience that now means that he forward will be leading the 151 employees in NTI in Denmark.
And it is a well-run business with healthy growth the new director takes over - which since the start in 1945 has kept up with the times and has continuously adapted to the market. From developing and producing drawing machines until today being a leading advisor and sparring partner in the digitization of the design and construction processes in the construction, design, and manufacturing industries. And further on to being acquired by the capital fund Axcel in 2022 to support the future growth strategy of NTI Group, which now has offices in nine European countries.
Johan Harrestrup, Managing Director NTI A/S
"It is with some awe that I take over the role of director from Jesper Kalko. He is one of the most skilled persons I know. Therefore, it is also important for me to maintain what works so well, and to protect and be respectful of the past; including NTI's values and very unique history," Johan says. At the same time, Johan also emphasizes that he looks forward to continuing to develop the business, create growth and support NTI's customers, large and small, on the digital journey they are on, with the latest technology.
"My ambition is that even more of our customers go to NTI as their trusted partner and address their challenges and/or ambitions, especially when it comes to optimization of processes and digitization," Johan continues: "And this of course requires that we are first movers in the development of new technology and constantly contribute with new knowledge.”
About Johan Harrestrup
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The digital development is quickly evolving these years and has a major impact on both strategy, the value chain and the entire way of doing business. "We are fully in touch with the way our customers go to market when we implement our digital solutions. Therefore, it is important that our customers have confidence in us as advisors and business partners," Johan says.
The whole sustainability issue is a clear example of this, which is one of the areas that both the construction and manufacturing industries are concerned with. Today, companies face greater and greater demands for sustainable business operations and handling of the climate and environment.
One of the big topics of conversation, and one of the areas we have a lot of focus on in the future, is the entire ESG-work (Environmental, Social, Governance), where we have to support our customers with digital tools that make the reporting of their climate- and environmental impact transparent and straightforward. In that sense we are part of making them succeed with the registering and improvement of their environmental impact," Johan states.
One thing is to innovate and create digital solutions for the future, which has been the focal point of Johan's career at NTI for the past eight years. It is another thing to hold on to the very special “NTI-spirit” that pervades the entire organization, and which according to him, will be the most important task. And that includes keeping the focus on the well-being of the employees.
Johan elaborates: "At NTI, we employ people and not resources. And we must continue to have full focus on that, as I believe that happy employees are the basis for a thriving and successful business. I believe that our view on our employee values and our bottom-line figures are not two opposing considerations but that they instead go hand in hand. In my view, NTI is already strong proof of just this, with an average seniority of 8 ¾ years. This number is particularly high in the IT-industry, where the success criterion in many places is 2-3 years of retention. We want to create a workplace with a high level of employee well-being, where you want to stay for many years. Because we operate in a highly specialized industry with a high level of knowledge, many years of experience is very valuable.”
Therefore, the DNA and values in NTI must be preserved.
Managing Director of NTI A/S, Johan Harrestrup & Director of Group, Jesper Kalko.
"The employees in NTI are key to succeeding and maintaining the healthy business that NTI is today. My ambition as new director is to preserve this special company culture, make the employees even happier and give them space to develop their potential," Johan concludes.
And that is one of the main reasons why the departing director can comfortably leave the seat to Johan. Jesper Kalko elaborates: "NTI in Denmark faces an exciting future. And I feel completely safe with Johan, who has a thorough knowledge of our business and industries. In addition to the fact that Johan is professionally strong and has a high level of ambition, he also possesses the right set of human values. All these qualities combined contribute to future-proofing NTI in the best possible way."
NTI A/S in Numbers
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Jesper Kalko will still be part of the management of NTI Group, where he will help expand the position of NTI Group in the European market through acquisitions.
