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Group Management Team

Keeping all parts of our business running smoothly and working together requires a management team that works across countries and sectors, and one that is strongly connected to our mission.

We asked our management team to share cultural locations and literature that mean something to them personally, and this is what they had to say.

Joel Sommerfeldt

President & CEO

"My favourite book is "Bland Franska Bönder” av August Strindberg (1849-1912). It's hard to pick one or two of my favourite places but; Guggenheim Museum in NY of course and I love to visit the small medieval towns of Cilento, Campania with a 2000+ year history preserved in the buildings, streets and stories."

Maria Wasing

COO & Executive Vice President

"I collect reading experiences and maintain my “must read bucket list”. Starting a new book is like entering into a new world for me. Every experience is different: from fun, seeing another viewpoint and opening new perspectives which leaves you thinking to utter sadness. One of the experiences I remember the strongest is Imre Kertész novel "Fatelessness", which I warmly recommend! I also gladly welcome your recommendations!"

Andreas Ekberg

Chief Financial Officer

"I saw Hilma af Klint's paintings for the first time at the fantastic Guggenheim Museum in New York and was completely taken by her powerful, abstract art. Her work is a treasure that was hidden for decades but has since rewritten history as we now know she was a predecessor to Kandinsky."

Dave Thomas

Chief Technology Officer

Group Teams

Pascal Collberg

Head of R&D

"Malmö Stadium, the terrace. To feel the power when thousands of people live out their frustration over a bad referee decision, the sad feelings of gloom after a random goal has been scored against them or the euphoric joy when their own team scores. High culture? Maybe not, but at the same time, few things affect you so much that you would unreservedly throw yourself into the arms of the stranger next to you just because MFF sets the decisive goal in minute 85. Joy and love in all its simplicity and you can never get too much of it."

Gustaf Mellberg

Director of Global Marketing

"Growing up in the province of Dalarna, I have always felt a strong connection to the artists' Carl Larsson and Karin Larsson. Visiting the couples' home and mutual art project, now a museum, in the idyllic village Sundborn is an experience in the cross-section between art, interior design and Swedish traditions."

Elisabet Thylander

Head of Finance and Administration

"'The Diary of a Young Girl' moved me deeply when I read it, at about the same age as Anne Frank was when she started to write her diary. It's a book I will always remember and I think it is a topic that unfortunately still is relevant today and a book well worth reading."

Stefan Tonkin

Head of Group IT

Division Teams

Samantha Diamond

Vice President Commercial Strategy

"Living in New York City, I was fortunate to have access to so many cultural institutions. I love The Met and the MoMA for the breadth of their collections and the extraordinary exhibitions they are able to mount. But, I love small museums too -- The Tenement Museum is such a unique window into NYC history and culture. It's impossible to pick a favorite!"

Morten Nørgaard Berg

Vice President Sales, PL&E

"I can always squeeze in a visit to a museum when I travel. A nice place is Tate Modern, London. They have small guides on postcards so you can choose a tour with a specific theme. This is smart because then you can catch a part of the collection in 1 hour. At home in Denmark, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a favourite. Superb location by the Sound and changing collections of international high class."

Joachim Läckberg

Vice President Operations, PL&E

"Since I’ve had the privilege of visiting many libraries and cultural institutions over the years, I have to say that the atmosphere and dynamic of a well-attended public library is hard to beat. As an avid Francophile and former resident of Avignon, I must mention this gem of a town where I was introduced to the great French classics, both in music and literature."

Malcolm Howitt

Vice President Sales, ALM

"I love the work of César Manrique. Lanzarote is one of our favourite places, and the influence of his architecture, art and sculpture permeates the island. However equally important was his political influence in encouraging sustainable development, which has allowed the island to remain true to its cultural history and natural beauty without being spoiled by the worst effects of mass tourism."

Chris Fincham

Head of RVR

"For most of my life I have been an avid traveler. I enjoy visiting cultural and historic sites, and places of natural beauty that some might consider off the beaten path. Some of my favourites are Jogyakarta, Indonesia, Golconda Fort, India, and Lake Baikal, Siberia to name a few. As far as literature, I find myself on the boring side, reading non-fiction almost exclusively and usually related to places I intend to travel to enrichen my experience with some background understanding of the history and culture of the area."

Jenny Poncin

Head of Operations, Nacka Libraries

Meet the board

Mats Hentzel

Chairman of the Board

Chairman of the Board of Axiell AB, First Reserve AB, Omniagruppen AB, SoftIT SK AB, AxiellOmnia Invest AB, Relation & Brand AB. Member of the Board of EmCe Solution Partner OY, Axiell Fastighet AB.

Joel Sommerfeldt

Board Member

Member of the Board since 2002. CEO and president, Axiell Group. Chairman AB Kelva, Handelsbanken Ideon and Sommerfeldt & Partners AB. Leading positions and board experience in a number of international companies in media, IT, shipping, packaging, retail industry.

Stein Kleppestø

Board Member

Member of the Board since 2016. Stein is Associate Professor at Lund University School of Economics and Management and Partner in Blueberry Hill Management Consulting. He has extensive experience in strategy, organization and leadership development.

Annikki Schaeferdiek

Annikki Schaeferdiek

Board Member

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