Spotify: Daniel Ek relinquishes CEO position

Spotify founder Daniel Ek will relinquish his position as CEO of the Swedish music streaming service on 1 January 2026. Spotify announced this in a press release. Ek founded Spotify in 2006 and has led the fortunes of the world's largest music service as CEO ever since.

Daniel Ek intends to remain Spotify's CEO in the future. From 2026, his operational responsibilities will be taken over by a dual leadership team consisting of Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström, who previously served as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Business Officer at Spotify.

Primarily formal change

Söderström and Norström have played a key role in shaping Spotify's business since 2023, the company writes in a press release. Their appointment as Co-CEOs is therefore primarily a formal step. Daniel Ek's future tasks will include overseeing the distribution of capital and shaping long-term corporate strategies. He will also advise Söderström and Norström.

“I have always believed that Spotify can play an important role in revolutionizing listening worldwide,” writes Ek in the press release. He has already handed over a large part of the day-to-day management to the new co-CEOs in recent years. Both have shaped the company for years and are ready to usher in the next phase.

In recent years, Daniel Ek has not only appeared as CEO of Spotify but also increasingly as an investor. Among other things, Ek has invested his money in the Munich-based company Helsing, which develops AI software for the defense sector. He also founded the company Neko Health, which works on full-body scans for medical diagnoses. Ek has also publicly toyed with the idea of buying Arsenal FC football club.

(dahe)