Governing Body Spotlight

I hold a degree in Business and Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics and have spent the past eighteen years working in information security, risk and total defence. Since joining Axfood in 2017, I have built and developed the company’s organization and management systems for information security and data protection, and since 2020 I have served as CISO. A fun fact: I once gave a cybersecurity talk explaining why cyber professionals don’t like watermelons to illustrate how modern security architecture works.

Learn more about the Nordic CISO community here.
 

Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.

I began my career as a consultant working on national preparedness, crisis management, and public–private cooperation. I've also spent more than seven years at Ericsson in various roles related to IT governance, compliance, and information security before joining Axfood in 2017. My broad background across sectors has given me a deep understanding of how to structure and operationalize complex requirements into concrete actions, along with curiosity and a passion for cybersecurity which naturally led to my current position as CISO.
 

What is one of your guiding leadership principles?

I believe in leading by creating clarity and building trust. Empowering people with the right structure and freedom enables them to succeed while ensuring we deliver results together.
 

What is the greatest challenge CISOs face today, and how are you addressing it?

The greatest challenge I believe to be bridging the knowledge gap that sometimes exists between business and technology and the understanding of both opportunities and risks associated with our continued digitalization. A receipt for success that has become my own strength is explaining technically intricate and complex standards and concepts in a structured and easily accessible way.
 

What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CISO?

Get to know your business stakeholders and learn to speak their language.
 

How do you measure success as a leader?

I measure success through impact and engagement — when teams feel empowered, the organization becomes more secure, adaptive, and forward-looking. I believe true leadership success is reflected in a culture where people grow, collaborate, and make a tangible difference.
 

What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?

The value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities comes from having a network of peers where we can share experiences and challenges that take us forward together.
 

Gartner C-level Communities Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.