Bengt Baron

With the American boycott of 1980 Olympic Games, it was difficult to choose a favorite in the backstroke events in Moskva, but one swimmer not considered was young Swedish backstroker Bengt Baron. The Moskva Olympics were his first major international tournament and he was not ranked in the world’s top 25 before the Olympics. He qualified for the 100 backstroke final after swimming a personal best of 57.51 and then stunned the world with 56.53 in the final to win gold. Four years later, Baron attempted to defend his Olympic title, but finished only sixth in the 100 backstroke final, winning a bronze with the Swedish 4x100 free relay. Between Olympics, he won bronzes in the 100 butterfly and 4x100 free relay at the 1982 World Championships and a medley relay silver at the 1981 European Championships. He last competed internationally at the 1985 European Championships, where he won bronze as a member of the Swedish 4x100 free relay. Between 1979-85, Baron won 33 Swedish titles.

After his career as swimmer, Baron attended the Haas School of Business at the U Cal Berkeley, where he received his MBA in 1988 and launched a successful career in business. Upon graduation, he joined McKinsey & Co in their Stockholm office as a management consultant. From 1992-94, he was manager for Coca-Cola Sweden, then from 1994-96 was CEO of AB Frionor (a Norwegian frozen seafood company) Sweden’s office, and from 1996-99 was Business Area Manager in Consumer Imaging Kodak Nordic. In 1999-2001, Baron served as CEO of StepStone, while from 2001-2004 he was CEO and President of AbsolutVodka, and from 2004-2008 was CEO and president of its parent company V&S Group. From 2009-2012, Baron was CEO of Leaf and, after Leaf’s merger with Cloetta, Baron became CEO of Cloetta in 2012.

Baron also served as a board member of Thule Group and as a board member of Nordnet, EQ Oy, Sweden-America Foundation and Tenson Group. Baron was married to fellow swimmer Agneta Mårtensson, who won silver in the 4x100 free relay at the 1980 Olympics, but they later divorced.

Personal Bests: 100 m backstroke – 56.53 (1980); 200 m backstroke – 2:04.40 (1979); 100 m butterfly – 54.47 (1982).