Fit for a monarch  | Monocle

The Entrepreneurs

Fit for a monarch 

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23 April 2025

Episode 698

28 minutes


Photo: Bjorn Axen

We discuss the crowning achievements of two leaders behind brands with royal seals of approval: the president of a 500-year-old Japanese confectionery company and the CEO of a Swedish haircare brand beloved by the country’s royal family. 

23 April 2025

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Chapter 1

8 minutes


Photo: Getty Images

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Chapter 1

Toraya Confectionery

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Mitsuharu Kurokawa, president of Toraya Confectionery, talks about the company’s storied history and how the beloved Japanese brand is expanding its horizons globally.

8 minutes

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Toraya Confectionery

Chapter 2

18 minutes


Photo: Bjorn Axen

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Chapter 2

Björn Axén

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CEO and owner Johan Hellström shares how he unexpectedly inherited Sweden’s nationally celebrated haircare brand, Björn Axén, at age 27. Since then, he has revived the business, transforming it from a company on the brink of bankruptcy into a success story with more than 30 million products worldwide.

18 minutes

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Björn Axén

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