The search for new CEOs has concluded for Exsitec and Telenor, while companies like Proact and Th1ng are just beginning the process. It’s a period of change and opportunity across many firms. Below are the latest executive appointments and leadership changes that will shape these companies in the year ahead.
Exsitec appoints a new CEO
Exsitec has appointed Niklas Ek as its new group CEO. He replaces Johan Kallblad, who recently announced his intention to step down. Niklas Ek will take up the position no later than March 3; until then Johan Kallblad remains in the role.
Niklas joined Exsitec in 2015 as an ERP consultant and since 2021 has led Exsitec’s largest business area in Sweden. He is a product of Exsitec’s trainee and internal leadership programs and has been a member of the company’s management team.
“When I started at Exsitec, my ambition was to learn, grow and do my best. I will approach the CEO role with that same mindset. We have a fantastic team to work with as we continue to create significant value for existing and new customers,” says Niklas Ek about his new assignment.
Outgoing CEO Johan Kallblad reflects on his 14 years leading Exsitec with pride and confidence in Niklas: “I am very proud of what we have achieved together and I feel secure knowing our strong corporate culture will continue under Niklas, who has proven to be a wise and decisive leader.”
Chairman Peter Viberg adds that the board is pleased to appoint an internal candidate after a thorough evaluation: “Niklas has delivered strong results and has developed our largest and most profitable business area. We are convinced he will further develop Exsitec as group CEO.”
Proact CEO to leave
Proact’s CEO Jonas Hasselberg has informed the board that he will step down as CEO and group chief. The board has begun the search for a successor. Jonas will stay on to ensure an orderly handover and will remain until a replacement is appointed, or at the latest until June 16 when he takes on his next assignment.
During Jonas Hasselberg’s nearly seven years as CEO, Proact’s annual revenue grew from about SEK 3 billion to nearly SEK 5 billion and the company now employs roughly 1,200 people. Profitability has improved by about 70 percent, cloud business has tripled, and recurring revenues are around SEK 1.8 billion.
Jonas comments: “It is with mixed emotions that I informed the board of my decision to leave. Proact is an exceptional company and I’m proud to have led and developed it over nearly seven years alongside fantastic colleagues and the board. It feels like the right time to hand over while I look forward to the next chapter in my career.”
Anna Söderblom, Chair of Proact’s board, thanks Jonas for his leadership and notes the company’s strong position: “Under Jonas’ leadership, Proact has developed tremendously and is well positioned to continue its growth journey.”
Netlight updates co-CEO team
Netlight’s co-CEO model, in place since 2021, now sees Felix Sprick step down as deputy co-CEO to return to a partner role. He will be succeeded by Anders Thall, who will form the co-CEO duo with current CEO Katri Junna. Anders is a partner and consultant at Netlight’s Stockholm office.
The co-CEO model aims to share leadership responsibility, broaden perspectives, increase leadership capacity and add international experience and peer sparring. The firm rotates co-CEOs periodically, selected by the board together with the partner group.
Netlight is also strengthening its executive team by adding Djavad Hedayati, a partner based in Munich, who will join the group. These changes take effect at the turn of the year.
Anders Thall says: “I am honored and excited to step into the role of co-CEO. Netlight’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and diversity resonates deeply with me. I look forward to working with Katri Junna to build on the company’s success.”
Katri Junna adds that the co-CEO model reflects Netlight’s continual renewal and that Anders’ and her combined strengths will lead the company forward. Felix Sprick, outgoing co-CEO, praises the rotation model for enabling smooth leadership transitions and allowing leaders to step in and out of the role without ego.
Board Chair Erik Fröberg thanks Felix for his contributions, welcomes Anders, and notes confidence that the new leadership will help Netlight flourish in the changing digital landscape.
New CEO for Telenor Sweden
Bjørn Ivar Moen announced in late November that he will return to Norway and step down after more than three years as CEO of Telenor Sweden. His successor is Jonas Edén, who will take over at the turn of the year.
Jonas Edén has a long career at Telenor, most recently as head of Telenor Sweden’s enterprise business. He joined the company in 2012 and has contributed to mobile network rollouts and served on Telenor Sweden’s leadership team since 2019, first as CTO and most recently as head of marketing for Telenor Business.
“I am very pleased and proud to take on the role as CEO of Telenor Sweden. The company is well positioned to remain relevant and create customer value. I look forward to continuing to drive our strategy alongside our skilled colleagues,” says Jonas Edén.
Jon Omund Revhaug, acting EVP and Head of Nordics at Telenor Group, highlights Jonas’s deep understanding of both commercial and technical sides of the business and expresses confidence that Jonas will accelerate the company’s customer-driven transformation supported by technology investments.
Knowit appoints head of Dataunit
Knowit strengthens its offering to defense and security customers by appointing Nina Larsson as CEO of subsidiary Knowit Dataunit. Nina joins from 4C Strategies where she worked as chief of staff and principal consultant. She has experience as a member of parliament and began her career as an officer in the Swedish Armed Forces.
Knowit says the deteriorating security environment, Sweden’s NATO membership and increased EU focus on defense, combined with rapid technological development, have accelerated digitalization and the need to modernize national total defense capabilities.
Nina says she looks forward to contributing her expertise to build on Knowit’s trusted delivery of high-performance communications, command and control systems for both military and civilian defense. Per Wallentin, Knowit’s CEO, praises her deep competence and expects her to strengthen partnerships with key defense actors and drive growth in the sector.
Knowit Dataunit has been led by Mats Thorstenson since 2008; he will now retire. Per Wallentin thanks Mats for his pivotal role in building Knowit’s strong position in the defense sector.
Foxway names new IT director
Foxway appoints Peter Strömberg as its new IT Director. Peter will lead Foxway’s digital strategy and drive improvements to the company’s digital capabilities and customer experiences.
Peter brings over 25 years of experience from fintech, insurance and capital markets, including senior roles such as CPTO and CIO at Avanza Bank, head of IT operations and service design at RSA and vice president at Nasdaq OMX.
“I’m excited to join Foxway as IT Director. The company’s focus on digital innovation and customer-centric strategy aligns well with my values. I look forward to working with the talented Foxway team to advance our digital strategy and deliver greater value to customers,” he says; his assignment began December 11.
CEO Patrick Höijer notes that Peter’s expertise and vision will be invaluable as Foxway expands its digital offerings and platforms and accelerates sustainable technology-driven transformation.
Kyndryl appoints new COO
Michael Gottschalck is Kyndryl’s new COO for the Nordics. He arrives from a role as delivery partner responsible for a major Nordic client and will focus on building a customer-centered culture. Michael will be based in Denmark, join the Nordic leadership team and work closely with country management teams.
“I’m honored and look forward to leading Kyndryl’s operations in the Nordics. Kyndryl’s commitment to innovation and quality aligns with my professional values, and I’m eager to help customers reach their business goals,” he says.
Beda Grahn, CEO of Kyndryl Nordics, welcomes Michael and highlights his leadership as important for delivering high service levels and innovative solutions to Nordic clients.
New CEO at Junglemap
Goran Govorcinovic is the new CEO of Junglemap, a company focused on cybersecurity training in Northern Europe. Goran has extensive experience in sales and business development at several SaaS companies and joined Junglemap as Head of Sales in September 2023, working closely with outgoing CEO Gustav Berghog.
“I want to thank Gustav for his outstanding work over the past 3.5 years in transforming Junglemap into a professional organization. I’m excited to continue the work we’ve started,” says Goran.
Gustav Berghog endorses Goran’s strategic vision and SaaS expertise and looks forward to seeing him continue to drive growth and innovation.
Board Chair Zoran Covic adds that Goran has a solid understanding of what it takes to build a successful SaaS business and recognizes the potential of nanolearning for cybersecurity awareness training.
Globalconnect hires new Security Services head
Søren Gjevert Petersen has been appointed Head of Security Services at Globalconnect, a newly created role responsible for the company’s security solutions for enterprise customers. Søren previously served as head of security for Globalconnect’s Danish and German operations and most recently was Head of Security at consultancy Aeven.
In the new role he will consolidate and develop the group’s security solutions and advisory services to strengthen protection for Globalconnect’s 30,000 corporate customers. Søren notes his experience in customers’ security leadership roles will inform both customer advisory and product development, including work related to the EU’s NIS2 directive.
New CEO for B3 Business Transformation
Peter Svenonius is the new CEO of B3 Business Transformation, the specialist unit focused on AI-enabled digital business development. He replaces Fredrik Dolléus, who will continue as business area head and member of B3’s executive team.
B3 Business Transformation comprises about 50 consultants and serves both large international enterprises and public sector organizations. Peter, who joined B3 in 2022 from Knowit, says demand is rising for help identifying and realizing value from digitalization and generative AI. The formal leadership change takes effect at year-end.
Fredrik Dolléus praises Peter as an experienced leader and wishes him success while remaining in the group’s management team to continue supporting the business.
T.Loop appoints CEO from Solkompaniet
Helena Fagraeus Lundström becomes CEO of data center company T.Loop from January 15. She joins from Solkompaniet, where she played a central role in growth and development.
T.Loop’s business model enables using 100 percent of a data center’s residual heat to heat buildings or convert to district heating, and offers reserve capacity to help balance the power grid.
“It’s exciting to join a company at a stage where you can influence development and help transform an entire industry. Together with the strong team at T.Loop, I look forward to shifting data centers from being major energy consumers to creating system value,” Helena says. T.Loop’s co-founder and chair Jonas Nyman welcomes her commercial and sustainability experience as essential during the company’s expansion phase.
Co-founder and current CEO Staffan Stymne will instead focus on the company’s strategic and technical development in the role of deputy CEO.
Implema recruits head of People & Culture
Enterprise systems specialist Implema has hired Marie-Louise Bondesson as head of People & Culture. She started December 9 and joins from Lernia with extensive HR and organizational development experience from companies such as IP-Only, Casino Cosmopol, Onoff and Icon Medialab.
The recruitment is part of Implema’s growth strategy; Marie-Louise will help make Implema an attractive workplace in the industry and support cultural and transformation initiatives. CEO Jörgen Aronsson highlights HR’s key role in building a sustainable, engaged organization that delivers customer value.
M-Files appoints new CEO
M-Files, a company focused on automating knowledge work, has named Jay Bhatt as its new CEO. Jay brings extensive experience leading and scaling software companies, having served as CEO of both private and public firms such as Alfresco Software, Blackboard and Progress Software, and in senior roles at Autodesk.
The appointment coincides with a major ownership restructuring led by software-focused private equity firms. Jay has also participated in the transaction through his investment company, Crossparadigm Capital. Founder and former CEO Antti Nivala will move into the role of Chief Innovation Officer while remaining Chairman of the Board.
Antti reflects on M-Files’ 20-year journey to help organizations work smarter and states the company is well positioned for the next growth phase. Jay Bhatt thanks the team and expresses excitement to work with new investors and leadership to take M-Files forward.
Nexer reshapes CIO role
Mattias Liljenberg becomes Nexer Group’s new CIO, strengthening the executive team. He arrives from MQ and previously held roles at Volvo Cars and CGI, covering IT infrastructure, security, e-commerce and large transformation projects.
“I’m attracted to Nexer’s forward momentum and strong culture. IT is a central part of business success, not a separate function. I look forward to continuing the digitalization journey and building long-term solutions with the Nexer team,” Mattias says.
Mattias will lead strategic IT initiatives to build an efficient platform, drive business-aligned IT to increase customer value, and promote tighter integration across Nexer’s companies to improve corporate IT support. He highlights the growing role of AI and digitalization in shaping the company’s future.
Nexer CEO Lars Kry welcomes Mattias and underscores the importance of his experience and commitment to the firm’s digital strategy.
Two appoints Business Intelligence head
Consultancy Two welcomes Björn Larsson Gerdén as head of Business Intelligence. He joins from a role leading data and analytics. BI and analytics are central to Two’s strategy, especially as AI grows in importance and ERP-BI integration remains a core capability.
“I’m very much looking forward to leading Two together with the BI team and the wider company. The warm welcome shows the strong culture here—people care about both heart and business. We’re driven to deliver great outcomes for clients and proud to create success,” Björn says.
Two CEO Christofer Järlesjö praises Björn’s technical expertise and his ability to build strong client relationships, calling him a solid addition to the team.
QD strengthens Customer Success
QD Sweden hires Richard Simmons as Head of Customer Success to establish a new department focused on exceeding customer expectations. Richard started December 3, most recently serving as head of business development at the Swedish Patent and Registration Office (PRV), with prior roles at Folksam and Vattenfall.
“QD strikes the right balance—big enough to achieve scale, small enough to be personal. The chance to help find tailored solutions is deeply rewarding,” Richard comments.
CEO Daniel Furmarker says Richard’s drive and broad experience in customer-facing IT and information domains will strengthen QD’s ability to meet customer and partner needs and contribute positively to the leadership team.
Leadership changes at Th1ng
Th1ng’s CEO and co-founder Klas Westholm leaves his post as the company refocuses following the divestment of its broadband business in May. The board believes renewed leadership is needed and has appointed outgoing Chair Tomas Karlsson as interim CEO until a permanent CEO is found. Elin Bergsten becomes the new Chair. These changes take effect immediately.
Tomas has long experience from municipal government, the energy sector and telecom, as well as Swedish export industry. He says he looks forward to accelerating growth and capitalizing on Th1ng’s broad customer portfolio.
Elin Bergsten, CFO at Skellefteå Kraft, brings solid energy sector experience and says she looks forward to continuing the company’s journey with its skilled staff and strong product offering.
Coromatic leader takes responsibility for Eon business area
Charlotte Reidhav is appointed acting head of Eon Energy Infrastructure from December 1 and will join Eon’s Nordic leadership team. She replaces Vijay Tank, who moves on to become COO of Eon Infrastructure Solutions UK.
Eon Energy Infrastructure oversees district heating and combined heat and power operations in cities such as Malmö, Norrköping, Örebro and Stockholm, as well as energy solutions like Eon ectogridTM, Eon’s operations in Denmark and subsidiary Coromatic.
“I approach this assignment with both joy and humility. The industry faces major challenges, and a competitive, stable district heating and CHP sector is vital for the energy transition. Together with my leadership team and skilled colleagues, I look forward to tackling these challenges and driving the transition forward with customers and partners,” Charlotte says.
Johan Mörnstam, CEO of Eon Sweden, welcomes Charlotte’s deep knowledge of the business and the sector and thanks Vijay Tank for his contributions.
Consid opens new office in Bohuslän
Consid opened its 38th Swedish office in late November in Stenungsund, aiming to deepen engagement with the Bohuslän business community.
Incoming office manager Daniel Eriksson describes Stenungsund as a strategic west coast location with proximity to Gothenburg, Uddevalla and Trollhättan, good transport links and access to the archipelago and a dynamic local business climate. Consid plans to collaborate closely with its Gothenburg office to recruit, sell and serve local clients while strengthening ties with Bohuslän companies and partners.