Anthon Hollstein Ivarsson has had an inspiring life story where he crossed continents, changed industries, and achieved many things. Having grown up in Sweden, Anthon moved out from his native land at the age of 16 and has traveled halfway around the world, from the middle of America to some of the most vibrant economic regions of Europe and Asia. His story is one of passion, flexibility, and perseverance—on the path of constant learning and self-development.

Early Life and Education

Anthon grew up in Sweden but traveled widely in the early part of his life. The first major step that he took was to move to the United States during his teenage years to continue with his high school education under an exchange program. As for this decision, Anthon said: “I just made up my mind that I wanted to go, and my parents thought I was a bit crazy. But they were very supportive. I’m like that—I get something set in my mind, and I just have to do it.”

During his stay in the U.S., he experienced a completely different educational process and actively immersed himself in the American sports spirit. He loved American football and wrestling. “I was just fascinated,” he says. It was a great experience and changed my life in many ways.”

After graduating from high school, Anthon returned to Sweden to continue his education at Uppsala University, specializing in business. However, his passion for traveling the world and discovering new horizons led him to further his studies and gain a Master’s in international business and sustainability in France. During this time, he started to develop a great passion for global business, which would form the basis of his career.

Professional Journey: From Scandinavia to Silicon Valley

The work of Anthon contains a very rich and interesting experience. Upon his education, he established his career in Norway, initially employed at a branding company and then shifting into project management. But it was the journey to Accenture Strategy that became transformative for him. Here, he fostered his knowledge in financial business and planning, consulting, and mergers and acquisitions.

His work was brought to the attention of Maersk, the international shipping company for which he helped create the first customer-facing application and also led the AI team. “I built the first AI/data science team at Maersk. This was around 2013-2014,” he points out, explaining that he has been involved in developing technological changes inside the company. 

Anthon’s career progressed further as he transferred to Hong Kong, he and his wife full of life embracing their expatriate status, while his roles and responsibilities were growing more international. “We hit 40 countries together and rolled out different projects,” he comments this period of his life as rather inspiring. His experiences in Asia and his exposure to the international environment enriched his global perspective on business operations.

The Move to Technology and Startups

Anthon had several years of work experience in corporate strategy and operations; however, he felt the urge to transition to the field of technology that would link physical operations with advanced technology, thus influencing this career change. “I got really interested in technology and connecting physical operations with technology,” he stated. This pushed him towards getting an Executive MBA at Columbia University and London Business School to transition into venture capital and private equity, particularly in technology start-ups.

Afterward, Anthon completed his MBA and got a job at AT Kearney in Amsterdam, where he established the first data science team in the Benelux area. His work did not go unnoticed at Amazon, where he was invited to take charge of the supply chain in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he refers to as some of the most taxing work he has ever done.

Although Anthon was quite successful in his position at Amazon and enjoyed the work alongside a team of super talented people at an amazing company, he realized that his true passion at this stage in his career was in building a start-up and growing a company. This realization made him take a job with a startup firm in Singapore where he effectively utilized his vast experience to support the development of the company. “It was the full startup experience,” he says.

Lessons in Leadership and Success

With experiences in various industries and countries, Anthon has acquired practical leadership, flexibility, and self-development knowledge. When asked about his keys to success, he emphasizes the importance of being ready to go beyond the comfort zone. For example, he spent a year working nights from Singapore while running operations for the Silicon Valley start-up Belong, demonstrating his commitment and willingness to push himself to achieve his goals. “I realized from an early age that growth only happens when you are uncomfortable,” he says. Such an approach has led him to be ambitious, take chances, accept challenges, and always look for opportunities.

Looking to the Future

Anthon’s future reflects the importance of hard work, inquisitiveness, and the courage to face life’s uncertainties. From a humble background growing up in a Swedish town to occupying corporate boardrooms, he inspires young business people. Anthon is not only a great leader and an innovative professional but also a skilled strategist. He has the unique ability to create a clear strategy and vision and, with his operational expertise honed in both large corporations and startups, he consistently gets things done. As he looks to the future, his next step will undoubtedly require him to be both a visionary strategist and a great operator, shaping the world of international business.

To learn more from Anthon Hollstein-Ivarsson, you can reach out to him via LinkedIn or check out his current projects.

Published by: Nelly Chavez