A new chapter is unfolding in the Spotify story, with its protagonist and founder, Daniel Ek, taking on a new role. He is stepping down as CEO after nearly two decades to become the executive chairman, a move that will see him shift from authoring the daily narrative to editing the entire epic.
The authors of the next chapters will be Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström, who will become co-CEOs on January 1st. As the current co-presidents, they have already been writing the story of Spotify’s operational and strategic success since 2023.
The company has described this as a formalization of the roles the authors have already been playing. Ek confirmed that he had already handed over the pen for the daily entries to the duo, and this change simply gives them the official byline.
As executive chairman, Ek will now focus on the “long arc” of the story. He will be the chief editor and publisher, ensuring the overall narrative is compelling and that the story of Spotify continues to be a bestseller, with new and exciting plot lines involving AI and global expansion.
This strategic role shift is a pivotal moment in the Spotify saga. It ensures that the story has both strong, consistent authorship at the daily level and a visionary editor guiding the grand narrative towards a successful and enduring conclusion.
