The decision was announced by the company's board of directors this morning. Helena Karlinder-Östlundh will not be leaving the company immediately, however. She will remain as CEO until a successor is found, but no later than February 5, 2027.
The board has already begun the process of recruiting a new CEO.
Helena Karlinder-Östlundh took over the leadership of Nelly Group in January 2023, initially as acting CEO, and then stepped into the role of permanent CEO in September of the same year. During her time in the position, the company has implemented changes to its assortment strategy, introduced a stricter governance model, and worked on a clearer market positioning.
Helena has done a fantastic job during her time as CEO of Nelly. With her commitment, clear leadership and her strong ability to bring people together, she has been of great importance to the company's development, built a very competent team and created a close and trusting collaboration with both the organization and the owners and board. I have personally appreciated the collaboration with Helena very much and would like to, both personally and in my role as chairman of the board, extend a warm and sincere thank you for her significant contributions and wish her all the best in the future, says Ebba Ljungerud, chairman of the board of Nelly Group.
The step from e-commerce to physical stores
Nelly Group, previously known as Qliro Group, has in recent years focused on developing its business model.
From being a player focused solely on e-commerce, the company has taken the step into physical retail. In 2023, the fashion retailer opened, among other things, its first physical store on Drottninggatan in Stockholm, followed by an establishment on Strøget in Copenhagen in 2025.
I am incredibly grateful and happy to have been part of Nelly's transformation journey. Ever since I started, I have been deeply impressed by the team's creativity, commitment and perseverance. I would also like to thank the board and the company's major owners for their trust and support along the way. As long as I am CEO, my full focus is on Nelly's success, and after that I will continue to follow this fantastic company's development with great interest, says Helena Karlinder-Östlundh.