Meet The New CEO of Elmodan – From Great Potential to Active Action Plan

For customers, Elmodan is a specialist in sales, service, and solutions within pumps, generators, and tools known for punctuality, flexibility and excellent service. This fall a new CEO was appointed, Bo Rocatis. Bo Rocatis, a father of two daughters with Danish and Swedish citizenship, started as CEO in October and has already initiated many improvement projects. We called him to congratulate him and talk about his plans for the future of Elmodan. 

Rocatis has been in the industry for 30 years, working broadly across the sector as a supplier and in various other roles gaining extensive experience. For the past five years his primary focus has been sustainability and electricity. We asked him how his first weeks as CEO have been.

“Busy! The idea is for us to grow, evolve, and become more prominent in Denmark, and we have already hired the people we need to develop further. We are already on our way in Elmodan’s growth journey. It’s exciting that we can do it so quickly. I’ve been working here for about a month, and we are already well on track with our plan. As proof: By February 1st, we will be twice as many employees as when I started at Elmodan.”

But can’t it be challenging when changes happen so rapidly? 

“Of course, cultures are coming together, and two different worlds are starting to collaborate. However, the business I took over needed to be updated and modernized. By implementing sound systems and reducing the number of suppliers for things like IT systems and accounting, fewer suppliers provide better oversight, make the work easier and processes more straightforward. It optimizes everyone’s everyday work so we can focus on what we like and are good at.” 

Bo Rocatis has handled everything from IT to HR to craftsmanship. Having worn many hats, he tells us it’s both necessary at the beginning and an excellent opportunity to understand and get to know the entire company and its culture.

“It’s essential to maintain the core services and core values, everything Elmodan has been amazing at from before and that customers appreciate about them. But there’s untapped potential here, which we need to address.”

Bo Rocatis tells us that two long-time employees at Elomdan have told him they now love coming in to work.

“It’s incredibly motivating to hear that. That’s the best feedback one can receive.”

Why did you find the combination of Elmodan and River Group exciting?

“I’ve been in large corporations before; there were 2,500 employees in my last job. But with River Group, we are many small entities speaking the same language and striving for the same goals. That symbiosis creates an entirely different collaboration. The fact that we can utilize each other’s competencies and help one another is incredible, making every member flexible and robust.”

Bo Rocatis’  Elmodan was  among the first companies to use the River Group logo on clothes and cars. He tells us they want to showcase what he sees as a significant advantage.

“We want to visualize it, capitalize on the opportunities and make it evident that we are part of a larger symbiosis.”

What is your primary focus and ambition in the time to come?

“The priority is strengthening the national collaboration in Denmark and supporting every River Group member by playing to our strengths. That’s where I will put our focus first: to enable a united Denmark. 

Secondly, it’s incredibly important that we hold onto the existing employees and complement them with new skills. 

Everyone, both old and new, should feel included in the growth journey and like they are an essential part of Elmodan, which they are. When everyone has a common goal and knows where we’re going and why, it becomes a more enjoyable everyday experience. 

Last but not least, we’ve ordered our first electric car. It’s coming soon!” 

Thanks for the talk, Bo Rocatis! We wish you the best of luck on the exciting journey ahead!