Svenska Spel Appoints Anna Johnson as New CEO

In a surprising turn of events, Svenska Spel, a prominent player in the Swedish gambling industry, has selected Anna Johnson to be its new Chief Executive Officer. Johnson, who currently serves as the CEO of Grant Thornton in Sweden, will take the reins from Patrik Hofbauer by no later than June 2024. Hofbauer's departure was announced in October, and he is set to officially step down on January 31, 2024. In the interim, Erik Strand, the group's chairman, will assume the role of CEO until Johnson's arrival.

Anna Johnson brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having been with Grant Thornton since 1998 and serving as a partner and CEO in Sweden for seven years. Strand praised her leadership style, which focuses on inclusivity and building strong teams that generate customer value and foster profitable growth.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, Johnson stated, "This is a fantastic opportunity, and I am both grateful and humbled by the trust. Svenska Spel has one of Sweden's strongest brands, and I am really looking forward to leading Svenska Spel's journey of change together with the employees and continuing to create results."

Johnson's appointment coincides with a period of reflection for the Swedish gambling industry, five years after its re-regulation. Recent audits and research have highlighted the need for effective supervision, as visitor traffic to unlicensed gambling websites has surged, and channelization rates for regulated online gambling remain a topic of concern.

In the most recent trading update, Svenska Spel reported a modest 1% year-on-year increase in Q3 revenue to SEK1.97 billion. This performance mirrors the Swedish market's stagnation, which ceased growing in H1 for the first time since mid-2020. Land-based casinos saw a significant 30.5% increase in turnover, while non-profit lottery GGR in Sweden declined by 8.26%. Overall, GGR remained steady at SEK6.7 billion, similar to Q2 2023.

Anna Johnson's appointment brings new hope and anticipation for Svenska Spel as it navigates through the evolving Swedish gambling landscape.