Henrik Torell: What executives must prepare for

Meet Henrik Torell – one of the most internationally seasoned transformation leaders operating out of the Nordics today. With 30+ years across energy, health, infrastructure, aerospace, defence and public-sector development, Henrik has led some of the most complex assignments a senior advisor can take on.

From structure to scale

• Built and launched 250+ companies across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia

• Driven national-level turnarounds in tightly regulated industries

• Developed safety and operational frameworks adopted by SKI, IAEA and other major regulatory bodies

• Executed IMF/UN/EU-funded projects across developing economies

• Delivered margin breakthroughs and structural transformations in organisations under extreme pressure

Henrik’s track record spans everything from nuclear-safety innovation and public health systems to cross-continent industrial strategy – always with one consistent outcome: clarity, structure and results where failure isn’t an option.

For founders, boards and leaders navigating regulation, infrastructure, energy, public-sector partnerships or international expansion – this is access you rarely get.

INSIGHT by Henrik Torell

Below, Henrik shares his reflections in his own words on what executives must prepare for:

What are the potential impacts of a proposed agenda for the agentic age?

Henrik Torell, Senior Advisor at Advisory on demand

Few technological shifts have triggered as broad and divergent a debate as the emergence of agentic AI. For some, autonomous AI agents mark the beginning of a new productivity frontier. Others raise concerns about workforce displacement, loss of control, and the empowerment of individuals beyond existing organisational structures. These outcomes may, in reality, unfold simultaneously.

Agentic AI is not a productivity upgrade – it is a structural shift that reshapes how work is organised, how decisions are made, how value is created and how companies compete. Organisations that adapt will become faster, flatter and more collaborative as humans and autonomous systems share responsibility in a fundamentally new operating model.

To navigate this landscape effectively, leaders must approach agentic AI with objectivity and clear thinking. Reassurances are plentiful; critical, disciplined analysis is less common. Executives therefore need not only to remain informed, but to foster organisational cultures where diverse viewpoints and constructive debate are actively encouraged. This is essential for anticipating both risk and opportunity.

Agentic AI is developing at remarkable speed and is already reshaping knowledge work, competition, and the broader socio-economic environment. Yet many leadership teams struggle to prioritise where to invest time, attention, and resources. This can result in fragmented initiatives that fail to connect with actual operational needs.

Workforce transformation is one of the most immediate shifts. Generative AI automates routine cognitive tasks, redirecting employees toward problem-solving, evaluation, and strategic judgement. This transition demands renewed focus on upskilling. Whether this is uniformly positive remains an open question and requires more nuanced scrutiny than current narratives suggest.

Operationally, agentic AI stands to streamline processes, reduce administrative burden, and unlock new forms of insight. Early adopters report increased agility and accelerated innovation, alongside emerging ethical and governance challenges that must be addressed with intention and foresight. The choices leaders make at this juncture will shape organisational trajectories for decades.

Below are six components that boards, CEOs and management teams should integrate into their strategic agenda as they prepare for the agentic age:

1. AI as a Transformational Colleague

AI now performs tasks previously associated with human judgment and reasoning. Leaders must redefine roles, expectations, and ethical frameworks for collaboration.

2. Competitive Differentiation Under Pressure

As AI lowers market barriers, institutional knowledge and IP become more accessible. Competitive advantage will hinge on data, culture, technology, and organisation-wide skills.

3. Redefining Value Creation

Agentic AI is not merely a productivity tool – it shifts how organisations innovate, interact with customers, and design business models.

4. Vertical Integration Over Horizontal Pilots

Most generative AI adoption remains superficial. Real impact requires embedding AI deeply within workflows to achieve vertical reinvention.

5. The Rise of Agentic Organisations

Structures will become flatter, faster, and more outcome-driven as humans and agents collaborate in real time.

6. Dynamic Learning as a Strategic Capability

With near-constant AI evolution, competitive advantage will depend on an organisation’s learning velocity and its ability to adapt infrastructure accordingly.

A New Leadership Mandate

AI is no longer an isolated technical matter. Boards and CEOs must build fluency, drive bold transformations, and redesign governance models that balance speed with accountability. Ethical clarity must underpin every decision.

No single organisation holds all the answers, and each context is unique. However, by combining internal expertise with experienced external guidance, leaders can navigate the complexity of the agentic age with greater confidence and strategic discipline.

Insights for leaders. Clarity for organisations. Progress by design.

Insight by Henrik Torell, Senior Advisor at Advisory on demand