Born in 1956, Antti Herlin is a Finnish billionaire and the largest single shareholder of Kone Corporation (KONE), the world-leading elevator and escalator company. He is the fourth generation of the Herlin family to hold a controlling stake in the company, whose history as an industrial giant dates back to 1910.

Antti's background is one of generational responsibility and high-level industrial management. He was educated with a degree in Economics and has been intimately involved in the company's executive core for decades. His life was defined by a complex family inheritance situation in the late 1990s and early 2000s, where he ultimately secured the controlling interest in the company from his siblings. This pivotal moment transformed him into the sole primary steward of the Herlin dynasty's wealth and the long-term vision for KONE, a company that moves hundreds of millions of people daily.

Antti Herlin’s career at KONE is a story of continuous, long-term strategic leadership. He joined the company's Board of Directors in 1991, and over the next two decades, he moved through the executive ranks, serving as CEO from 1996 to 2006 and then as Executive Chairman from 2006 to 2021. This continuous tenure at the helm ensured KONE maintained its focus on innovation and global market share.

Under his leadership, KONE successfully navigated the industrial market by focusing on maintenance, modernization, and technological advancement, particularly the development of 'smart' elevators and escalators that emphasize efficiency and safety. His control of the company is secured through his holding vehicle, Security Trading Oy, which controls over 56% of the shares and 57% of the voting rights. Herlin has successfully resisted pressure for short-term gains, instead prioritizing long-term, capital-intensive investments in technology, cementing KONE's position as a dominant, indispensable global industrial leader.

Antti Herlin’s social impact is massive and inherent in KONE’s global mission: providing safe, smooth, and sustainable mobility in urban environments. KONE's technology is vital to the functioning of modern, dense cities, moving hundreds of millions of people daily with high safety standards, making it a critical piece of global urban infrastructure.

His personal philanthropy is often directed toward arts, culture, and environmental causes, reflecting a core Nordic commitment to public good. His business philosophy prioritizes long-term investments in R&D, which has a positive structural impact on global energy consumption by making vertical transport more efficient. His success in maintaining the stability and long-term vision of KONE ensures continued high-value employment and technological advancement in Finland.

Antti Herlin maintains the distinctively reserved, efficient, and understated style of a powerful Finnish industrialist. His attire is consistently high-quality, practical, and devoid of unnecessary ostentation, favoring classic business suits and neutral colors. His aesthetic reflects the core Nordic values of humility, engineering, and functional excellence.

His lifestyle is centered on Finland, maintaining his deep connection to the country despite his global industrial reach. His luxury is the strategic control he wields over a global, publicly traded industrial giant, a position he commands with quiet authority. His wealth affords him immense privacy and the freedom to pursue long-term industrial projects, ensuring KONE’s dominance in the essential technology of modern urban mobility.