Swedish furniture and furnishings retailer IKEA has appointed Susanne Pulverer as CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer for its India business.

She is the first woman to be heading Ikea's India business, and replaces Peter Betzel, who moves to his next assignment within the IKEA group, a company statement said.  

Prior to being chosen as the IKEA India CEO and CSO, Pulverer was Group Business Risk and Compliance Manager at the Ingka group.

For Pulverer, this would be her third stint in India.

“I am excited to be back in India, as we are moving closer towards our vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people," she said.

Pulverer lavished praise on the outgoing India CEO for his contribution to IKEA's growth in Asia's third-largest economy. She said that Peter and his team have not only expanded the omnichannel presence in the Indian retail market but also enabled local sourcing and retail competence.

Having been associated with IKEA since 2011, Pulverer comes with the right understanding of the company’s nerves and, thus, is capable of driving strategies in the Indian market.