As a result of the completed qualification procedure, on July 16, 2026, the Supervisory Board of Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. appointed Ms. Barbara Cena as the President of the Management Board, General Director of HSW S.A.
Barbara Cena was appointed President of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. on 16 July 2026 by resolution of the Company’s Supervisory Board. She is the first woman to hold the position of President and CEO in the Company’s history.
She is a finance executive and senior manager with extensive experience in corporate finance, controlling, accounting, financial risk management, and the delivery of large-scale investment projects.
She holds a Master’s degree in Administration from the University of Law and Administration in Rzeszów. She also completed postgraduate studies in Finance and Accounting at Kozminski University in Warsaw and in Tax Law at the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH). Throughout her professional career, she has earned a number of professional certifications in change management, risk management (MoR), and project management.
She also holds an Executive MBA awarded by the Rzeszów University of Technology under a programme delivered in cooperation with the Aviation Valley Association.
Barbara Cena joined Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. in 2017, initially leading the Company’s Accounting Department. From 2024 onwards, she also assumed responsibility for Finance and Controlling. During the period in which HSW secured its largest defence contracts with the Polish Ministry of National Defence, she was responsible for maintaining the Company’s operational profitability, implementing cost optimisation measures, and overseeing financial performance.
Between 2023 and 2026, she supervised the process under which HSW received PLN 855 million in capital support from the Polish State Treasury to expand the Company’s production capacity and modernise its infrastructure. She also played a key role in strengthening HSW’s asset base through the acquisition and integration of three manufacturing companies, leading to the establishment of HSW branches in Dęblin, Sanok, and Stalowa Wola.
From June 2024, she served as Member of the Management Board and Chief Financial Officer of Huta Stalowa Wola S.A., overseeing the Company’s financial strategy and investment programme aimed at expanding production capacity. Her responsibilities included the expansion of manufacturing facilities, acquisition and commissioning of new production lines, digital transformation initiatives, and implementation of data security projects. She also supervised the Human Resources function during a period of rapid organisational growth, supporting both workforce expansion and the development of employee competencies. Under her financial leadership, HSW achieved record financial results in 2025, generating revenues of PLN 4 billion and a net profit of PLN 676 million, making it the most successful year in the Company’s history.
In 2025–2026, she actively represented HSW during the multi-stage negotiations with the Armament Agency of the Polish Ministry of National Defence concerning contracts financed under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument. The negotiations concluded with the signing of SAFE-funded contracts on 30 May 2026, with a total value approaching PLN 60 billion (net), including approximately PLN 42 billion allocated directly to HSW. These agreements significantly expanded the Company’s order book and secured a stable production outlook for many years to come.
Under the SAFE programme, HSW will deliver 146 Borsuk Infantry Fighting Vehicles, 96 Krab 155 mm self-propelled howitzers, more than 1,000 support vehicles for the Homar-K multiple rocket launcher system, 64 Rak self-propelled mortars, command, reconnaissance, ammunition and recovery vehicles, support vehicles for six K9PL artillery battalions, as well as several dozen Waran 4×4 command vehicles.
In her leadership approach, Barbara Cena places strong emphasis on modern management practices, a strong organisational culture, and the efficient use of the Company’s resources. She is committed to leveraging integrated ERP systems and implementing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) solutions to support efficient operations and optimise production planning.