Bang & Olufsen CEO Nikolaj Wendelboe On The Brand’s 100 Years And Soundgarden’s Back Catalogue

In Shanghai’s fashionable and cultural Hengshan Road, Bang & Olufsen’s recent nine-day centennial exhibition, titled ‘Fu Sheng—Tracing the Sound’, brought together an impressive cast of icons, such as the Eliminator—the company’s first commercial success in 1926. This Peter Bang-designed radio was freed from the need for batteries and replacements, thus bringing broadcasting into everyday homes.

There was also the Beolit 39, the first Bang & Olufsen product to bear the Beo name, designed by Peter Bang & Svend Olufsen in 1939. And welcoming guests at the hip JZ9 jazz bar was Bang & Olufsen CEO Nikolaj Wendelboe, recently promoted to the role following stints as the brand’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. Here, Wendelboe articulates the importance of the brand’s centenary and elucidates on what it will take to keep the brand at the forefront of luxury audio.

What does it mean for you to be leading Bang & Olufsen into its second century?

It’s an honour, of course, to take the reins. And naturally, what I think about is to make sure the company remains relevant and prosperous for the next 100 years. That’s the main purpose we have chosen to showcase this legacy through our series of centennial celebrations around the world.

What makes Bang & Olufsen unique in the market in the present day?

We are different in so many ways—we want to have beautiful sound, with amazing design, spectacular materials, and impeccable craftsmanship. When you look around and see our speakers, they are just different. It’s not just pieces of black plastic—we think about materials such as wood and aluminium, which have sustainable value and designs that you want to have in your home for decades. The synergy between engineers and designers—they both start the project at the same time—shows how much we respect our product development, and offers our clients a real point of difference among luxury audio.

What is important in a changing world for clients of Bang & Olufsen?

That’s a really relevant question. Consumers the world over, and especially in Asia, are becoming more critical of what they want to purchase. For us, it’s about delivering something that is much more than a product. It should also be an experience. It’s about emotions when using a Bang & Olufsen product: when your favourite songs are delivered through the sound that we have crafted, you will feel that emotion.

Do you remember the first time you felt that same emotion with Bang & Olufsen?

For sure, because I remember when I joined the company and was travelling for a short while after. So, I had the new headphones, and it was the first time that my headphone experience allowed me to hear everything in the music. That was very emotional for me, and I remember very clearly that I was listening to the music of a Danish alternative rock band called Kashmir.

The most valuable advice you’ve ever received?

For me, on a personal level, it is to trust yourself and trust the team you have. And knowing that when you show trust in people and the team, we will be able to do really great things together. The keyword in business, for me, is trust.

What do you do that is still analogue?

Well, I have a turntable that’s connected to a Bang & Olufsen speaker. And I like to run in the mornings and leave my phone at home so I’m not connected to the world, which is very nice.

What do you crave most at the end of the day?

I think what’s important is to have an hour to yourself where you can sort of wind down, and not sit with your phone, the television, or the computer. Just to clear your mind before you go to bed. For me, that place is primarily in my own home.

What are you listening to right now?

At the moment, I’m actually listening to a lot of Soundgarden. The reason for this is that I’m also reading a book about how Soundgarden was formed, and when you do that, you actually start listening to some of their older stuff, which is very interesting as well.

Photography courtesy of Bang & Olufsen

Bang & Olufsen