Per Heggenes

Per Heggenes is the CEO of IKEA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Swedish home furnishings company, IKEA. As CEO, Heggenes sets and drives the Foundation’s funding and innovation strategies, and is a tireless advocate for children living in some of the world’s poorest communities. Since becoming the Foundation’s first CEO in 2009, Heggenes has presided over the Foundation’s evolution into a global, grant-making philanthropy that funds programs in more than 45 countries.

He serves on the advisory board of the Refugee Studies Centre at University of Oxford, Department for International Development, and is an Advisory Group member of the Humanitarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute, London. Heggenes is also a Councilor for the World Refugee Council, Canada.

Previously, Heggenes was the Global Head of Corporate Affairs for the shipping and logistics company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. Before joining WWL, he was the UK President and CEO for the global public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and Co-CEO for Europe. He also held different global roles for Burson-Marsteller based in their New York headquarters. Heggenes served in the Norwegian Air Force and graduated from the University of Augsburg in Germany with a “Diplom Oekonom” (MBA).