Dr. Ilkka Heikki Herlin, Ph.D., is a Finnish businessman, the billionaire Chairman and a major shareholder of Cargotec (Nasdaq Helsinki: CGCBV), a global leader in cargo handling equipment and services. His immense wealth is generational, tied to the Herlin family fortune (from the KONE Corporation elevator empire, founded in 1924).

Herlin received an elite education, earning a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree from the University of Helsinki. His career began with a massive family dispute over the inheritance of KONE: his father, Pekka Herlin, rewrote his will in 1999, leaving the majority stake in the core elevator business to his brother, Antti Herlin (the family patriarch). The subsequent dispute ended in 2005, resulting in a split of the company.

• Cargotec (Chairman & Major Shareholder): The core asset, a global leader in cargo handling equipment and services (formed after the KONE split in 2005).
• KONE Corporation (Minority Shareholder): He retains a minority stake in the elevator and escalator company.
• Academic Background: He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Helsinki (1995).
• Family Feud: His wealth is tied to the settlement following the dispute over his father's will, which resulted in the split of the Herlin empire.

Dr. Ilkka Herlin's strategic leadership focused on transforming his inherited assets into a dominant force in cargo handling. After the 2005 split, Ilkka and his siblings (Ilona Herlin and Niklas Herlin) received a majority stake in Cargotec, which had been spun off from the KONE Group. Cargotec focuses on specialized machinery for heavy-duty ship cargo, port operations, and road transport.

Under his guidance as Chairman, Cargotec expanded globally, becoming a structural pillar of the global logistics and maritime industries. His wealth is secured by the long-term, stable profitability of the essential industrial equipment sector, cementing his status as a key figure in Finnish industry and finance. He is married with four children.

Dr. Ilkka Herlin's social impact is structural, stemming from Cargotec's role in providing essential equipment for global trade and logistics. The company's machinery is foundational to port operations and ship cargo management worldwide. He and his family's foundation support various educational and community initiatives.

His career is a testament to the profitable management of an industrial legacy, leveraging specialized equipment manufacturing for global logistical efficiency.

Dr. Ilkka Herlin maintains the professional, composed style of a Finnish industrial executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored business suits. His aesthetic reflects stability and intellectual authority, blending his academic background with his corporate leadership.

Residing in Helsinki, Finland, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to industrial scale, technological innovation, and the long-term management of his essential logistics and manufacturing empire.