Meet Netnod’s New Chief Sales and Product Development Officer
1. Can you tell us about your background and what led you to join Netnod?
I began my career at Com Hem as an account manager 20 years ago during a period of transformation. Massive investment fueled the shift to broadband over cable—a game-changer. My role involved working with real estate companies and establishing key deal frameworks with construction companies.
Wanting to take on a leadership role, I joined C-Sam, a small local ISP, as its CEO. Over five years, we transformed C-Sam into a customer-centric business, focused on customer satisfaction and employee engagement.
After Telia acquired C-Sam, I moved to Telia, where I was responsible for integrating multiple acquired companies into Telia’s operations. My next role was as COO of Ownit, where I subsequently became CEO and refocused the company on customer needs. At Telenor, I led a 30-person team, overseeing 4 billion SEK in turnover.
I knew about Netnod reasonably well, but when the position opened up, I took a closer look and was impressed! This is a company with a clear purpose—it’s owned by a not-for-profit foundation, focused on strengthening digital robustness and critical infrastructure, and ultimately making the Internet better for everyone. It serves a vital social function, and I knew I wanted to be part of that mission.
2. What are your primary responsibilities in your new role at Netnod?
My role is to lead the teams developing customer-focused services, working with customer relations and running Netnod’s events.
A major focus of my role is strengthening partnerships—bringing value not just to Netnod, but also to our partners, customers, and society as a whole.
Two key lessons from my career shape my approach here:
- Customer satisfaction is paramount—happy customers become your strongest ambassadors.
- Every employee, whether directly or indirectly, contributes to customer relations. Even outside of work, we represent the company. A motivated, supported team is essential.
3. What current trends do you see as particularly relevant for Netnod?
The changing geopolitical landscape makes secure and robust digital infrastructure more important than ever. The tech community, businesses, and society all rely on it. Netnod plays a key role in ensuring this resilience. Moving forward, I see Netnod supporting other organisations, helping them better understand the new security landscape and what steps to take to protect their business and customers.
4. What sets Netnod apart in the industry?
Most companies can explain what they do and how they do it, but Netnod stands out because of its clear purpose—why we do what we do. Being owned by a foundation means our focus and incentives are different from a commercial entity. Rather than prioritising shareholder profits, we reinvest in making the Internet better for everyone.
The level of expertise at Netnod is extraordinary. I’ve been in this industry for 20 years, and it is rare to see such a concentration of highly skilled professionals in one place!
5. What are your goals for Netnod’s growth and development in the coming years?
The key to our success is customer value—we need to make it clear to our employees, customers, and partners just how much value Netnod provides. Our technical excellence is well established, but we can do more to highlight the value of our services.
Listening to customers is crucial. We must stay connected to their needs and develop innovative solutions—even for challenges they don’t yet realize they have! A growth mindset will be key, building long-term relationships and deepening our engagement with existing customers while expanding into new industries.
However, at Netnod, growth isn’t about profit for shareholders—it’s about expanding our positive role in the technical community. Our success should benefit not only our partners and customers but also end users and society as a whole.