Back in charge since April, Samuelsson spoke with Bloomberg about the task of reviving the Swedish brand’s fortunes, the risks and benefits of having a Chinese owner and how not all Western brands will survive the transition to electric cars. The transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
Hakan Samuelsson was brought out of retirement to guide Volvo Car AB through one of its most challenging periods.
Grappling with disappointing sales, software glitches, delays in key new models and even the threat of a sales ban in the US, Li Shufu — the billionaire behind China’s Geely Automotive Holdings, Volvo’s majority owner — turned to the 74-year-old Swede, who had previously led Volvo for nearly a decade and steered it through its 2021 public listing.
