Columbus – October 12, 2026 -- Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) has appointed Frieda He as Chief Procurement Officer, placing a executive who oversaw more than $3 billion in annual global spend at Polestar in charge of its global procurement organization.
He will focus on strengthening supply chain resilience, enabling growth, optimizing cost and value, and driving supplier quality. Her remit covers Vertiv's portfolio of end-to-end power and thermal management solutions for data centers, communications networks, and commercial and industrial applications.
Polestar role covered $3 billion in annual global spend
From December 2023 to March 2026, He served as Chief Procurement Officer and a member of the Group Management Team at Polestar. Her responsibilities spanned direct and indirect materials, supplier quality, R&D industrial programs, cost management, and global real estate. She led cross-functional global teams and drove cost savings, governance, and enterprise transformation during periods of industry disruption.
Volvo Cars experience included a $9 billion spend organization
Before Polestar, He held senior leadership roles at Volvo Cars, including vice president and head of global propulsion and sustainability procurement. There she led an organization with more than $9 billion in annual spend and played a key role in the company's electrification transformation. Her work included managing supply chains through global disruptions, advancing sustainability and regulatory compliance, and supporting major structural transactions and joint ventures.
Earlier in her career, she held procurement and supply chain roles in China and across the Asia-Pacific region, building expertise in global sourcing, cost engineering, and supplier development. She holds bachelor's degrees in general studies and business/commerce from Northeast Normal University in China and an Executive MBA from the University of Oxford.
Vertiv ties hire to AI-driven demand for high-density infrastructure
Vertiv CEO Gio Albertazzi said He's experience in complex, multinational procurement environments and her record of driving operational discipline and value creation will be critical as the company scales to meet accelerating demand from AI-driven and high-density digital infrastructure.