Post by Jesper Bulskov

RETIREMENT: FINALLY TIME TO STOP ANNOYING SOCIETY! Dear friends, For those of you in a hurry, read the executive summary as follows: As I turned 70 earlier this year, time has now come for me to saddle the old iron horse one last time, and slowly but surely to head for the sunset and retirement on June 1, 2026. For the rest of you, here is an extended version, so please bear with me: I started my glorious career when I was 12 (yes, I am really that old) delivering milk and fresh bread very early in the morning before going to school. After graduating things started moving quickly, and I have been very fortunate and grateful to have lived and worked in 7 countries around the globe with my family, plus travelled more than I am willing to remember (but my loving wife knows, and she is still with me). I have also been very fortunate and grateful to have worked for executives, who trusted me and threw me into the deep end. Ivar Samren and Robert Uggla at SAS Service Partner, Lars Renström , David Ford, YANNICK RICHOMME and Ulf Granstrand at Alfa Laval, Peter van Niekerk at gategroup, Carl-Åke Carlsson at Alpharma, Lars Rasmussen at Coloplast and Thomas Heldgaard at Bostik/LIP.  Plus really world class colleagues such as Ralph Wannenwetsch, Hubert Schanne, Norbert van den Berg, Steen Hoff, Ulf Liljedahl Maryne Lemvik, Lars Wetterberg, Martina Skansjö, Kirsten Hacke and Sam Schneeberger just to name a few. I have probably missed a few, but you know who you are. Most of the times it went well (I think 🤔) and sometimes when the rubber hits the road, there may have been too much friction or smoke. But in the end it all boils down to the best management school there is; true experience and learning.  Thank you guys/girls and thank you for putting up with me. You deserve a strong drink. And then there were the leaders (or more correctly managers 🤔), who were the opposite to the above. No name, no shame, but the lesson learned here was quite simple; how not to behave/perform as a leader. But also this was an important learning (although at times painful) for me. I have worked with consultants across the globe, but 4 stands out; Ghislaine Caulat Henrik Greisen, Peter Smith down under and Jacob Sand Christensen. Thanks for your unwavering support. I have always trusted you. Retirement to me means spending time with my wife, family and grand children 👧 (who will be spoiled rotten from now on) plus the hobbies I never really did get around to as well as the never failing good old friends. It also means closing down my LinkedIn account. But as John Wayne says in True Grit (for which he received his only Oscar): Come see an old man There is always coffee on the pot and cold beer or wine in the fridge. You know where to find me. If you have made it this far, well done and cheers. Stay safe and well Yours Jesper  Aka Freiherr Bulskov