Saab Denmark turns to new chief

Saab Denmark has appointed Daniel Plath as managing director with a mandate to restore profitability after rapid expansion pushed the company into a significant loss despite record revenue growth.

In an interview with Danish business daily Børsen, the Sønderborg-based defence communications specialist reported a 25.9 percent increase in revenue to DKK 572.4 million in 2025, supported by strong demand and a growing order backlog.

Despite the top-line growth, the company recorded an operating loss of DKK 57.7 million and a net loss of DKK 42 million as internal processes, onboarding and organisational structures failed to keep pace with expansion.

- The task I was brought in to deliver is to translate record revenues into profitability. 2025 has been a year of considerable challenges. Now we need to return to a position where we can convert sales growth into positive margins, Plath said.

Plath, who joined Saab Denmark from Danfoss, said his immediate priority is to turn strong sales performance into sustainable earnings. The company has expanded by around 100 employees per year and now employs approximately 400 people.

According to management, the losses were driven primarily by internal challenges rather than weak market demand. The company cited insufficient onboarding capacity, limited delegation of responsibilities and organisational processes that were not adapted to the pace of growth. 

Delays in security clearances for employees working on classified programmes also affected productivity.