Anders Sjöman, CEO Centre for Business History in Sweden

31/10/2025

For ten years, I have been scouring annual reports, looking for a specific title among the executive teams. I have yet to find it: the Chief History Officer.

There are so many other chiefs: Chief Marketing Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Human Resources Officers – and above them all, a Chief Executive Officer. But who among them is responsible for the company's heritage, history, and legacy? This is the one unique resource that every company has, which cannot be copied; a strategic asset that, if used well, can set a company apart from all others.

Although I have yet to find that title, I have seen progress. Since I joined the Centre for Business History in Stockholm, related titles have started to appear.

Nike appointed its first Chief Storytelling Officer back in the 1990s, while Budweiser gave the same title to its Chief Archivist in 2017. The Chief Archivist at Levi’s also serves as the company’s official Corporate Historian. At Ford Motors, the head of archives is Ford’s Heritage Brand Manager – and he was previously the Director of Heritage Communications at Coca-Cola. A few years ago, Swedish spirits maker Absolut hired its first archivist, Lovisa Kragerud, and gave her the title Chief Storyteller.

These new titles show that history is no longer just a matter for the archive, but a resource for the entire organization. Used properly, heritage helps build a strong employer brand, protect intellectual property, and create customer loyalty.

So while I still wait for the first true Chief History Officer on a corporate board, I realize my hunt may already be over. The role is becoming established, regardless of its name.

The era of the Corporate Heritage Manager may very well be here – and companies should count their blessings.

In light of that development, I applaud the AICHeM initiative in Italy. The first of its kind in any country, it helps establish the role of a Corporate Heritage Manager as a key to building business culture and driving development. It also shines a spotlight on the professionals who safeguard, manage, and promote the values and cultural heritage of their companies.

At the Centre for Business History in Stockholm, we look forward to linking arms with AICHeM – and perhaps together we will be able to locate that first Chief History Officer.

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