Spotify Founder Ek Cedes CEO Title, Paving Way for Dual Leadership

Daniel Ek, the founder who personified Spotify for nearly two decades, is ceding the title of Chief Executive Officer. In a planned transition, he will become the executive chair of the board, allowing a new dual-leadership structure to take charge of the company he built into a global audio juggernaut.
The new leaders are Gustav Söderström, the company’s product and technology chief, and Alex Norström, its chief business officer. Currently co-presidents, they will officially assume their roles as co-CEOs on January 1st, formalizing the significant operational responsibilities they have held for over a year.
In a press release, Spotify described the move as an alignment of titles with the company’s functional reality. Ek elaborated, stating, “This change simply matches titles to how we already operate.” He underscored that this move acknowledges the pivotal role the pair already plays in steering the company.
Ek’s new mandate as executive chairman will be to focus on the big picture and long-term bets. He specifically pointed to opportunities in artificial intelligence and geographic expansion into markets that have not yet fully embraced streaming. He also clarified his role would be an active one, engaging with stakeholders like governments.
This transition marks a new chapter for Spotify, which now serves over 700 million subscribers worldwide. By entrusting the operational command to his long-time lieutenants, Ek is positioning himself to act as the company’s chief strategist, focused solely on the challenges and innovations of tomorrow.