Alexander Necovski: From leadership insight to organisational change

A growth ambition rooted in Nefab’s Nordic potential

Alexander has spent much of his career at Nefab, including roles in China and France. Today, he leads the Nordic region, with approximately 700 employees working from 16 different sites. His ambition is to double the Nordic business by 2030 and strengthen the region’s position within the group.

For Alexander, the opportunity lies in becoming more solution-oriented, making better use of capabilities across the organisation, and developing existing customer relationships further.

“We have all the conditions to become a leading region within the company, both in terms of competence and capacity. I wanted to create a sense of urgency and show that there is more we can do.”

A transformation challenge grounded in the business

A central part of the Novare Executive Program is the Transformational Challenge, where participants work with a real business challenge throughout the learning journey. Alexander’s was how to mobilise an experienced organisation around a new direction, unlock more of its potential and translate experience into momentum for the future.

“I came into a mature organisation with highly experienced leaders, many of whom had been in their roles for a long time. My challenge was how to mobilise an experienced leadership team around a new direction, make better use of the capabilities across the group, and help people see new opportunities in services and solutions.”

The confidence to make difficult decisions

When Alexander reflects on the program, he describes the value as cumulative: a combination of perspectives, conversations and reflection that strengthened his clarity as a leader.

“I cannot point to one single thing. It was the program as a whole that made me much more comfortable in my role and in what I need to do for us to succeed. I realised that when you have a clear idea of where you want to go, you cannot wait. You have to act.”

This clarity also made it easier to have difficult conversations and make decisions that could not wait.

“The program gave me the confidence, and the self-awareness, to have the uncomfortable conversations and make the uncomfortable decisions. I had often been able to bring people with me through my personality and way of leading, but that does not always work.”

I cannot point to one single thing. It was the program as a whole that made me much more comfortable in my role and in what I need to do for us to succeed.

An authentic leadership approach

Many speakers in the program gave Alexander a language for challenges he was already navigating. For example, he took away the importance of separating his leadership role from himself as a person, especially when facing resistance.

“In the beginning, you can take almost everything personally. I have learnt to separate the two. Feedback in my role as a leader is not necessarily directed at me as Alex.”

Annie Lööf’s reflections on authenticity also stayed with him, especially the idea that leadership becomes stronger when it is grounded in who you are.

“I got this role because I am who I am, and because the company believes I can lead this change. I do not need to become someone else. I need to use my strengths, be transparent about what I do not know, and find support that complements me.”

A trusted peer network and psychological safety

The network became another important part of the experience, giving Alexander a trusted sounding board outside his own organisation.

“Having peers outside the company who face the same kinds of challenges helps enormously. We could exchange thoughts and ideas about difficult decisions because we were in similar situations.”

He also points to the psychological safety in the group.

“One of the strengths of the program was the psychological safety. We could talk about almost anything, whether it was a family challenge or a work challenge. Program Directors Petra and Lars set the foundation by being transparent and sharing experiences from their own leadership journeys.”

Having peers outside the company who face the same kinds of challenges helps enormously.

From the Novare Executive Program to the Nordic leadership team

Alexander has taken several elements from the program directly into his own leadership. In Nordic management meetings, he uses a check-in where each person shares something positive from the business and something from life outside work.

“The check-ins have helped the team grow closer. We are no longer only representing our individual country. We are there for the Nordic business as a whole. I see that now in practical situations too, for example in budget discussions, where leaders look beyond their own country and offer support to help the wider region reach its shared goals.”

Alexander has also adopted a less hierarchical image of leadership, inspired by a perspective shared by one of the speakers he met during the Novare Discovery Tour to Lausanne.

“I have started describing myself as an enabler at the centre of the team. My role is to connect people, help them move forward and challenge them, while also making sure they challenge me.”

The Human Layer of Leadership

Looking ahead, Alexander highlights three leadership capabilities he believes will become increasingly important:

• Seeing people
• Staying curious
• Learning through mistakes

“As a leader, I think the most important thing is to see the person. People can view the same situation from different perspectives, but we still need to find a way forward together. To do that, you need to understand the context around the person, both at work and outside it.”

Nefab’s perspective on leadership development

Per Öhagen, CEO Nefab:

“I see great value in investing in Alex’s leadership development and strengthening his ability to navigate increasing complexity and expand our operations across the Nordic region. Leadership development at Nefab is one of the most important areas for successfully delivering our strategy and growth journey.”

Leadership development at Nefab is one of the most important areas for successfully delivering our strategy and growth journey.

Maria Brithon, EVP – People & Culture , Nefab Group:

“As Nefab continues to grow, we need leaders who can translate our ambitions into clear priorities and results, develop their teams, and foster strong collaboration across organizational boundaries. We saw the Novare Executive Program as an opportunity for Alexander to further develop his leadership in that direction. We hope the program will provide him with new perspectives and tools that strengthen him in his role, and that Nefab will benefit through stronger leadership and an enhanced ability to execute on our growth journey.”

About the Novare Executive Program

”The Novare Executive Program is designed for senior executives who want to strengthen their business leadership, broaden their perspectives and future-proof their business. The program combines three modules in Stockholm with the Novare Discovery Tour to Lausanne. Participants work on a real transformational business challenge throughout the learning journey and learn alongside thought leaders and peers.”, says Petra Wigh, Program Director Novare Executive Program.

The next cohort of the Novare Executive Program starts in February 2027. Applications are open.