Meet The Speakers

We have gathered the best in the business—all in one place. Each of our expert speakers is a master in their field, and they will collaborate with you to 10X your sales, business, and personal fulfillment.

Al Ridenhour

LtCol Al Ridenhour USMC (ret)

Al Ridenhour spent 28 years in the Marine Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel after serving in several combat missions, and for nearly 40 years, he has dedicated himself to studying and teaching self-defense. He runs Strength From Within, LLC, and travels worldwide to teach combat skills through seminars and private training.
As a 7th Degree Black Belt and Senior Master Instructor in Guided Chaos, he wrote Warrior Flow Mind and co-wrote Attack Proof. He also leads the International Warrior Arts Association (IWAA), which he helped create, and nowadays, police departments seek his expertise as a law enforcement consultant.

Dr. Bogdan Matei

MD Psychiatrist and Master Trainer

Dr. Bogdan Matei is a distinguished psychiatrist, passionate about helping people and businesses transform and grow. His inventive psychiatry combines his expertise in linguistics, psychology and medicine to create a holistic approach to treatment. He bridges the gap between clinical knowledge and the corporate realm, working closely with companies to help their people grow, communicate better, and understand themselves more deeply. His multidisciplinary approach gets to the heart of the human psyche and behavior, helping individuals reach personal awakening and make lasting change in their lives. Dr. Matei partners with businesses and entrepreneurs, sharing fresh perspectives that spark new ideas, bring teams closer together, and help them achieve remarkable results. Throughout his work, Dr. Matei focuses on growing personally and professionally, cherishing the meaningful relationships he builds along the way.

David Lee Hatchard

Chief Design Officer

David has a remarkable gift for translating visions into physical excellence. He is a leading figure in design management, retail, and visual merchandising, and with over two decades of international real estate and customer experience, David has also driven incredible success at Apple, where he oversaw the launch of various Global Flagship Retail Stores in Asia-Pacific and EMEIA. Thanks to his holistic approach to the Hästens Sleep Spa experience, he transforms the look and feel of our stores, telling the story of Hästens by creating truly unique environments.  

Dr. Edie Perry

Chiropractor and Sleep Expert

Chiropractor, mathematician, and sleep expert at Hästens, Dr. Edie Perry, is the brains behind our Bed Talks video series and is pioneering the future of our Sleep Spa concept. Her insatiable curiosity about the connection between body and mind has led to her studying energy work, acupressure, functional neurology, biofeedback and bodywork practice, cranial and osteopathic techniques, applied kinesiology, NLP and Bandler Technologies, meditation, Tai Chi, and Chi Gung, among many other related healing methods. Dr. Perry advocates that the right Hästens bed for you will change your posture, and correct posture will change your life–no matter how old or young you are.

Ilse Crawford & Oscar Peña

Interior Designers of Hästens Being Collection

Design duo Ilse Crawford & Oscar Peña run Studioilse, a multi-dextrous design studio where the Hästens Being Collection began. They have a reputation as the go-to team for integral, wholesome design that considers how humans live best, whether for homes or hotels, restaurants or schools, offices or shops, furniture or objects, exhibitions, and experiences. Studioilse talks about the power and potential of design as a catalyst for systemic wellbeing, and a framework for life itself.

James Aschberger

Chief Customer and Marketing Officer

A visionary leader, James excels in navigating complex global environments, making him integral to Hästens’ ongoing success. James holds dual degrees—an M.Sc in International Management and lic.oec.HSG— from the University of St. Gallen. Beginning his career in global travel retail with British American Tobacco, he mastered marketing and sales fundamentals. At The Swatch Group Limited, he played a pivotal role in transforming the Swatch brand and group retail initiatives. His journey continued at Swarovski, where he excelled in various roles, ultimately steering global consumer goods strategy. Passionate about simplifying lives through innovation and customer journey management, James identifies and capitalizes on opportunities to add tangible value. His track record attests to his commitment to driving meaningful change.

Jan Ryde

CEO, 5th Generation

Under Jan’s leadership, Hästens has grown more than 600X, attesting to his exceptional business acumen. He holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management from Linköping University and also held the esteemed position of Associate Professor at Linköping Institute of Technology for three years, earning the highest student ratings. Jan is also a Guest Lecturer at Stockholm Business School and The International Business School in Jönköping, a distinguished institution ranked number 1 in Europe for entrepreneurship and family business. Recognized in Sweden’s Retail Dream Team alongside CEOs from IKEA and H&M, Jan received the nation’s largest export prize in 2006. His entrepreneurial prowess was further acknowledged with the largest Gold Medal ever awarded by the King of Sweden.

Jasper Sundh

Sales Growth Catalyst

A powerful agent for change, Jasper Sundh is leading the charge in driving hyper growth at Hästens. Previously CEO at Mindflower IT, he successfully managed the merger of three companies, doubling business size and turning loss into profit. He didn’t stop there. As Regional Directors for the Nordics at Accell Group, he led a significant turnaround, splitting business units strategically, and bolstering the company’s finances during the pandemic. Additionally, as MD for the Nordics at Beter Bed, Jasper transformed the retail chain, increasing the number of stores by 68% and creating strategies for sustainable growth. Dynamic and strategic with leadership skills to boot, he creates tangible results across various business landscapes.

Johan Dalin

Chief Operating Officer

Johan is the Chief Operating Officer at Hästens, combining a keen eye for quality design with a deep passion for leadership. He oversees Operations, with a mission to make an incredible product the best it can be. With 17 years of experience with Hästens, Johan has also served as CEO for spring suppliers Starsprings USA and Starsprings Sweden, giving him extensive knowledge of the global bed industry. He has collaborated with major brands like Tempur Sealy, IKEA, and Hilding. Additionally, Johan co-owns DBKD, a small but successful Swedish design company with a global presence, alongside his sister.

Johan Lindbäck

Global Sales Lead

Johan Lindbäck, with a tenure at Hästens dating back to 1991, initially began in Operations before transitioning to Sales, where he achieved extraordinary success. His diverse professional journey includes roles at other firms, such as Biltema, where he served as Store Manager/CEO,Department Store Manager, and Regional Manager, as well as holding the position of Store Manager at Systembolaget. Regarded as a high-performing entrepreneur, Lindbäck returned to Hästens in 2016, taking on roles including Country Director for Sweden,Global Sales Driver, and Global Wholesale Lead. Throughout his career, Lindbäck has been synonymous with growth and professionalism, showcasing a wealth of experience and accomplishments in various leadership positions.

Dr. Joseph Riggio

Ph.D.

Dr. Joseph Riggio, a neurocognitive scientist and architect, is the creator of the MythoSelf Process and SomaSemantics. As an advisor to exceptional individuals, he unveils the societal conditioning that compels us to adopt masks and bury our true selves. Riggio´s work aims to peel away learned behaviors, allowing a return to genuine living marked by joy and freedom. As the founder of ABTI Joseph Riggio International, a boutique consulting and training firm, he is a leading expert in embodied communication and leadership. His international consultancy focuses on neurocognition, decision-making, and cybernetic behavioral communication, emphasizing elite behavioral performance through soma-semantic interventions and new narratives.

Dr. Jussi Eerikäinen

Mathematician, Physician and Creator of Hästens Restore App

Dr. Jussi Eerikäinen, a Mathematician and a Physician, has dedicated his life to understanding and harnessing nature’s energy power in all its manifestations. His extensive experience of over forty years in both traditional and alternative healing methods in his private clinics has made him an expert in energy medicine and neuroplasticity, significantly improving the quality of life for many.Dr. Jussi is the author of the International Bestselling book, “Transforming Vibes, Transforming Lives,” a music composer, and online programs such as: “Upgrading Your Signature Frequency” and “Discover Greatness Within.” Working with Hästens to create the Hätens Restore App is a dream come true for Dr. Jussi. Combining the superb product quality of Hästens is the perfect environment for Dr. Jussi to make the magic of these unique healing soundtracks.

Lillian Liang

Regional Director North East Asia

Lillian Liang has been with Hästens for 11 years, spearheading market expansion in NE Asia. Driven by her profound passion for Hästens and her commitment to enhancing the quality of people’s lives, she has been instrumental in introducing the epitome of sleep excellence to more families. Her decade long tenure is characterized by insightful observations of the sleep market and a deep understanding of consumer sleep issues. In alliance with partners sharing a unified vision, she has significantly accelerated Hästens’ growth in NE Asia. Committed to continuous learning, she is enrolled in an EMBA program at Tsinghua University. Her remarkable contributions empower more individuals to relish the luxury of quality sleep and realize their aspirations.

Nick Korvi

Global Marketing Operations Lead

Nick transforms complex global campaigns into streamlined success stories. His work focuses on making marketing smarter and more effective, using data to guide every decision. His path to Hästens began at Pagero, where he specialized in marketing automation. Using tools like Salesforce and Pardot, he created strategies that kept new customers engaged. Starting his career as an entrepreneur, he co-founded Tyros.ai, a university spin-off that made AI more accessible to FinTech companies. This experience taught him how to bridge the gap between innovation and tangible business results. He believes technology opens doors to meaningful change and actively seeks opportunities to explore these possibilities with others who share this vision.

Oskar Persson

Chief Financial Officer

Oskar Persson is a skilled fiscal operator, uniting academic rigor with extensive professional experience. Now, he oversees Finance, HR, and Digital domains at Hästens. Previously serving at Group CFO, he succeeded in various profitable growth and M&A strategies. Oskar also contributed significantly to Swedish-based international investment group Volati, excelling in M&A and Business Development roles. Prior to that, he honed his expertise as a Management Consultant at BearingPoint focusing on strategy, change management and management control systems. Holding a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management from Linköping University, his dynamic career and academic prowess make him an asset to Hästens’ executive team.