Interim Finance Director ensured stable financial management during Celsius’ recruitment process

When Celsius’ European Finance Director moved to the company’s headquarters in the United States, the organisation faced a challenging situation with a temporarily vacant leadership role. A fast and controlled resourcing process was required before a successor could be recruited. Celsius, known for its energy drinks, turned to its partner NIS to ensure that the finance function remained fully operational during this critical period.

Alexander Franzén from NIS Sweden was appointed as Celsius’ Interim Finance Director. With a strong background in external audit and experience in financial analysis, Alexander was exactly what the client needed.

In addition, Pontus Kaneberg from NIS was recruited to take on the role of Head of Financial Control. NIS’s deep understanding of its finance professionals’ competencies and strengths, combined with insight into the client’s objectives, enabled an efficient and well-matched placement of these key roles.

Finance expertise and adaptability were key to success

For an external finance consultant to get off to a strong start, deep financial knowledge alone is not enough - the ability to quickly absorb new information is equally important. Both Alexander and Pontus were successfully integrated into Celsius’ existing finance team, which already included a Group Financial Controller, Financial Controller, and Business Controller.

“A finance consultant must quickly adapt to a dynamic environment and take in a large amount of new information. Broad financial expertise is of course essential, but in a changing environment, social skills and adaptability are also crucial”, says Alexander.

The broad and international scope offered a challenge

Alexander Franzén served as Interim Finance Director for seven months and contributed as part of Celsius’ European management team. He was responsible for the accounting and finance functions in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the UK. His responsibilities included financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, and analysis of business performance to drive efficiency and results.

“During the collaboration, the client benefited from a fresh external perspective on financial analysis and risk management”, Alexander emphasizes.

In his role as interim Finance Director, he reported directly to the European Managing Director and worked closely with sales, marketing, and supply chain teams. He was also responsible for preparing and reporting monthly, quarterly, and annual accounts to the parent company in the United States. Pontus Kaneberg’s experience in analysis and reporting further strengthened the client’s finance team.

“Many of our clients, such as Celsius, operate in both Sweden and Finland. NIS’s ability to act as a trusted partner in both markets is a significant advantage for our clients”, says Alexander.