Karin Askelöf – Founder, Breakthrough Advisory
With over 20 years of experience in sustainability, strategy, and business development, I have worked across investments, corporations, and international collaborations.
Most recently, I served as Executive Vice President Sustainability at Polarium, a global energy storage company, where I built the sustainability function from the ground up and led the integration of sustainability across the business. Prior to that, I was Head of Sustainability at Handelsbanken Asset Management, one of Sweden’s largest institutional investors, where I advanced sustainable investment strategies and frameworks. I also bring extensive experience from development finance through my work at Swedfund, investing in emerging markets with a focus on impact.
What sets me apart is my ability to operate across the full spectrum – from boardroom strategy discussions to hands-on execution with teams in operations, production, and across functions. Having worked inside companies, I know that strategies must be realistic, adapted to the organization’s maturity, and designed to deliver results. I founded Breakthrough Advisory to help companies accelerate their sustainability impact by combining strategic insight with practical implementation.
I thrive in environments defined by authentic leadership, teamwork, inclusiveness, and a clear sense of purpose. I am curious, a fast learner, and both solutions-oriented and pragmatic. I approach assignments with high energy and a holistic perspective.