Karin Bäcklund

Department: Commercial

What she does: Creates, builds and maintains strong relationships with existing and future stakeholders of the race, including the race owners, teams, stopovers, partners, sponsors and suppliers.

Who she is: Karin started at Volvo Cars in 1995, and worked within the marketing and communications area for 18 years, including the Volvo Ocean Race, sponsorship, motorshows and events, product launch events, PR and media, market research and competitor analysis. She was based at the Volvo Cars headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden but also worked in Brussels, New York, Tokyo and Sydney.

She speaks: Swedish, English and some French.

Something about her that you don't know: She was first ‘bitten’ by the race when she was onboard a spectator boat at the 2005-06 finish in Gothenburg, and was blown away by the emotion of the moment as the Volvo Open 70 approached the finish line beneath Älvsborgsbron, the city bridge.

Previous Volvo Ocean Races:
2014-15, Volvo Ocean Race staff, Commercial Director
2011-12, Volvo Cars Sponsorship Director and Head of the Commercial Activation of Volvo Ocean Race globally 
2008-09, Volvo Cars Sponsorship Director and Head of the Commercial Activation of Volvo Ocean Race globally