ABB: CEO, ‘maximum growth potential is in America’
Keystone-SDA
Zurich-based electrical engineering giant ABB sees the greatest opportunities for growth in the short to medium term in the United States, explains CEO Morten Wierod.
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“That is where the greatest growth has occurred in recent years and this trend continues,” says the 54-year-old Norwegian in an interview published online today by the newspaper Finanz und Wirtschaft. The ranking of multinationals’ priorities sees, after the Americas, Asia and the Middle East in second place and Europe in third.
This strategic vision translates into concrete investments. ABB is channelling substantial resources into the US and India, recognising them as fast-growing markets. In contrast, in China, where production capacity is already considered sufficient, and in Europe, the focus is on improving the efficiency of existing plants, with no plans for new large-scale factories, explains Wierod.
The statements by the chairman of the management come after the strong financial results published by ABB at the end of January. The group ended the 2025 financial year with sales up 7% on a comparable basis to $33.2 billion (CHF25.8 billion at current exchange rates). Profitability also improved, with the operating margin rising to 19% from 18.2% a year earlier, which drove net profit, which jumped 20% to $4.7 billion.
ABB’s strategy reflects a broader orientation of large industrial groups, which are reassessing their supply chains and investments in light of ongoing geopolitical dynamics and differing regional growth rates. In this light, Europe regularly finds itself in a lacklustre position.
ABB’s share price was up around 2% at 17.00 today, in the context of a market that generally marches in place. Since the beginning of 2026, the share has risen 11%, and performance over one (+35%) and five years (+169%) is also largely positive.
Translated from Italian by AI/jdp
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