Early Life
Antti Juhani Herlin was born on November 14, 1956, in Kirkkonummi, Finland. He comes from the Herlin family, which has controlled KONE Corporation since 1924. His father, Pekka Herlin, served as chairman of KONE, and his great-grandfather, Harald Herlin, originally invested in the company. Antti Herlin graduated from Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu (SYK) in 1976. He studied agriculture at Iowa State University in the United States.
Rise to Success
Antti Herlin joined KONE's leadership in 1996 as the CEO and deputy chairman of the board. During his tenure as CEO from 1996 to 2006, he expanded the company through acquisitions and alliances. In 2003, he succeeded his father, Pekka Herlin, as chairman. Under his leadership, KONE has grown into a multinational enterprise with operations in over 60 countries. He has held the position of Finland's richest person.
Key Business Strategies
Herlin's key business strategies involved expanding KONE's operations through acquisitions, technological advancements, and alliances. He has focused on sustainable people flow solutions. During his time as CEO, he played a pivotal role in expanding the elevator company's operations. Herlin has been an advocate for education and environmental sustainability.
Philanthropy
Antti Herlin is actively involved in philanthropy. In 2014, he established the Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation to support social welfare, culture, the environment, and science. The foundation focuses on environmental projects. The TAH foundation granted approximately eight and a half million euros for environmental projects aimed at global emission reductions in the steel industry in fiscal year 2024-2025.
