Centra, the commerce platform for global fashion brands, today announced the appointment of Sara Laurell as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as of August 1, 2025. This leadership transition comes as Centra accelerates its European expansion and deepens partnerships with some of the world’s most respected fashion brands.
Over the past year, Centra has experienced rapid growth, expanding its customer base with premium brands such as COS, Arket, ME+EM, Paul Smith, and Hush. Now powering over 300 premium fashion brands, Centra has cemented its position as a leader in DTC and digital wholesale—building the most advanced commerce stack in fashion. This momentum was further reinforced by a strategic minority investment from H&M Group in May 2025, underscoring confidence in Centra’s approach to transforming fashion commerce..
Sara Laurell, a Harvard Business School graduate, is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in fashion, retail, and technology. Most recently, she led Loopia Group, driving significant expansion across Europe through strategic acquisitions. Sara was previously CEO of fashion group Twilfit, where she led a successful transformation of the iconic Swedish retailer — revitalising the brand, expanding its market presence, and driving profitable growth. Prior to that, she held a senior leadership role at Telia Company, one of the Nordic region’s leading telecom providers.
“I’m excited to join Centra at such a dynamic time,” said Laurell, incoming CEO of Centra. “The potential to shape the future of fashion commerce is enormous, and I look forward to working with our team to drive growth and help brands scale globally.”
Martin Jensen, Centra’s current CEO, will transition to focusing full time on product as Chief Product Officer (CPO), where he will continue to lead product innovation—a core pillar of Centra’s strategy. As a co-founder of Centra, Martin has been a driving force behind the platform’s evolution, building it from a bold idea into a market leader in fashion commerce. With this dedicated focus, Martin will continue advancing Centra’s product strategy, pushing the boundaries of commerce technology, and ensuring the platform delivers exceptional value to global brands.
“Leading Centra has been an incredible journey. From an ambitious vision to a platform trusted by hundreds of premium brands,” said Martin Jensen. “As I step into the role of Chief Product Officer, my focus will be on taking our technology to the next level, ensuring Centra remains the most innovative and reliable commerce platform in the industry.”
“This is an exciting new chapter for Centra,” said Per Akerberg, Chairman of Centra. “Sara’s experience in scaling brands globally and her clear vision for the future make her the right leader to drive our growth. With Martin continuing to advance our product innovation, we have a strong team to guide Centra’s future.”
This leadership change signals a new era for Centra, reinforcing its commitment to empowering fashion brands and driving global growth.
