For the past 18 months, Managing Director Minna Gröning has been leading Endress+Hauser in Finland through a significant transformation. After three months Minna Gröning started in her new position, she began to lead a merger, when Endress+Hauser
acquired SICK Process Automation.
A graduate of Henley Business School Nordic’s Executive MBA programme, she has successfully united a previously fragmented leadership team, driven profitable growth, and led the integration of two companies in a way that delivered results without losing sight of people.
When I started as a new Managing Director, I began writing a leadership blog.
I opened up about my leadership approach, my values, and gradually started communicating our new strategy. The blog attracted readers not only in Finland but also globally. Most importantly, it sparked conversations and made the transformation visible to everyone, everywhere.
The blog series served several purposes at once. It gave change a human face, created a shared direction, and made progress visible across the organisation. According to Minna, one of the most challenging aspects of leadership is finding the right words for
transformation.
People need to understand what is happening and why. In today’s world, where change is
constant, helping employees build their resilience is essential.
At the same time, the leadership team focused on strengthening its own ability to navigate change. Open discussions helped the group build trust, define shared values and ways of working, and develop into a high-performing team.
We even agreed that people must feel comfortable telling me if the pace becomes too intense. I have an exceptional amount of energy, and one of my leadership lessons has been understanding that I cannot expect everyone else to operate at the same speed.
Working in a family-owned company has given Minna a new perspective on leadership.
I realised that I am helping to build a company for future generations. That changes how
you think about decisions and long-term success.
At Endress+Hauser, people-centred thinking is visible throughout the organisation globally. Psychological safety forms the foundation for performance, collaboration and innovation.
I realised I could develop the strategy thoughtfully and with a long-term perspective. Throughout the journey, I was able to rely on the support of our board. Maintaining open and honest dialogue throughout the transformation was invaluable.
Under her leadership, both revenue and profitability have grown despite exceptionally challenging market conditions in Finland.
Minna describes her Henley Executive MBA journey as truly transformative.
The programme was a life-changing experience for me. It helped me build an entirely new leadership identity and develop a more human-centred approach to leadership.
The tools she learned during the
programme have become an
work as a Managing Director. Psychological safety, diversity, resilience, and self-awareness are qualities she believes every modern leader needs.
Leadership, however, starts with taking care of oneself and Minna sees physical and mental wellbeing as essential parts of leadership.
When a leader is physically and mentally strong, they can face situations as they truly are. They remain calm under pressure and are able to make clear decisions even in difficult
circumstances.
Trust was tested when the company faced its first major crisis together. During the crisis, her colleagues challenged her decisions openly and directly.
That is never easy for anyone, but I acknowledged my mistakes and my
humanity. In the end, that honesty made us even stronger as a leadership team.
For Minna, leadership is not about being perfect. It is about creating an environment where people trust each other enough to speak honestly, challenge one another constructively, and move forward together.
And perhaps that is exactly what leadership looks like in a world of constant change.
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Endress+Hauser is a Swiss-based, family-owned global leader in measurement instrumentation, services, and automation solutions for industrial process engineering. The group generated approximately 4.01 billion euros in net sales in 2025 and the company employs over 18,300 people of which 70 in Finland.
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