Daniel Ek to become Spotify Executive Chairman; Söderström & Norström named co‑CEOs
Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek will transition to the role of Executive Chairman effective January 1. Gustav Söderström (Co‑President, Chief Product & Technology Officer) and Alex Norström (Co‑President, Chief Business Officer) will take over as co‑CEOs.
Ek said the change “simply matches titles to how we already operate,” and that in his new role he will focus on the company’s long arc, capital allocation and staying closely connected to the Board and co‑CEOs.
Key details
- Leadership change effective: January 1.
- Co‑CEOs: Gustav Söderström & Alex Norström.
- Users: Spotify has grown to nearly 700 million monthly active listeners.
- Ek’s outside interests: This year he led a $700M investment round into defense‑tech firm Helsing, which drew criticism from some artists and prompted actions such as Massive Attack pulling their catalogs.
- Product and policy context: Spotify has rolled out lossless streaming and is updating AI policies — banning fraudulent/deceptive uses but still permitting fully AI‑generated tracks under current rules.
Why it matters
The move formalizes a leadership structure that Ek says already exists operationally. It could let Ek concentrate on long‑term investments and building other technology‑driven companies, while the co‑CEOs handle day‑to‑day operations and product strategy. However, Ek’s investments in defense tech have stirred controversy among artists and listeners, a reputational risk the company will need to manage.
Sources & further reading
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