Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> September 20, 1999
PETER JANSON is President and Chief Executive Officer of AGRA Inc., one
of Canada's largest international engineering, construction, environment
and technology corporations. With recent acquisitions, AGRA generates
annual revenues in excess of U.S. $1 billion and employs more than 7,000
people in 24 countries worldwide. Prior to joining AGRA in April 1999,
Mr. Janson was President and CEO of ABB US, a leading engineering,
construction and manufacturing company serving customers in power
generation, transmission and distribution; industrial automation; oil,
gas and petrochemicals; and financial services. In 1998, ABB US achieved
revenues of U.S.$6.5 billion and employed 22,000 people. It is part of
the global ABB ASEA Brown Boveri Ltd., the world's largest electrical
engineering corporation with some $31 billion in annual gross revenues.
As President and CEO of ABB US, from June 1996 to April 1999, Mr. Janson
increased company revenues and earnings through a focus on financial
discipline, increased exports, innovative customer-focus programs and
strategic alliances. As head of ABB's U.S. Industrial activities, from
1994 to 1996, he achieved a 25% improvement in revenues from operations
under his direction. A Canadian citizen, Mr. Janson was President and
CEO of ABB's Canadian operations from 1985 to 1994. During that period,
he was responsible for the merger of ASEA and Brown Boveri in Canada, as
well as the subsequent acquisition and integration of the Westinghouse
transmission and distribution operations and Combustion Engineering into
ABB Canada. His prior experience includes responsibility for ASEA's
industrial operations in South Africa from 1982 to 1985. During his
tenure in Canada from 1988 to 1994, Mr. Janson was a member of the
Business Council on National Issues, the national Advisory Board on
Science and Technology, the Association of Professional Engineers of
Ontario and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Petroleum. He
is a Past Chairman of the Centre d'innovation sur le transport
d'energie du Quebec. In 1998, Mr. Janson was awarded the Canadian
Electricity Association's Distinguished Service Award for his sustained
contribution to and support of the Canadian electric utility industry.
In the United States, Mr. Janson's professional affiliations included
membership on the Business Round Table, Foreign Trade and Investment
Task Force and the national Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).
He was recently appointed Chairman of the European American Business
Council. Born in Sweden and raised in Canada, Mr. Janson graduated from
Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario where he obtained a bachelor of
Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1969. Married with three
children, he is fluent in English, French and Swedish. Profile
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