Daniel Ek to step down as Spotify CEO in 2026, company appoints co-CEOs

The company said on 30 September that co-Presidents Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström will take over as co-Chief Executive Officers. Söderström currently serves as Chief Product and Technology Officer, while Norström is Chief Business Officer. Both will report to Ek and are expected to join Spotify’s Board of Directors, pending shareholder approval.

Spotify described the leadership change as an “evolution” that formalises how the company has operated since 2023, when the co-presidents began overseeing much of Spotify’s strategic development and day-to-day operations.

In his new role, Ek will focus on long-term planning and capital allocation while continuing to provide strategic guidance to the company’s senior leadership. “This change simply matches titles to how we already operate,” Ek said. “In my role as Executive Chairman, I will focus on the long arc of the company and keep the Board and our co-CEOs deeply connected through my engagement.”

Ek, who founded Spotify in 2006, reflected on the company’s growth, saying: “I always believed Spotify could play an important role in revolutionising listening around the world, and with more than 700 million users, we’ve truly charted a new course bringing creativity to every corner of the globe.”

Woody Marshall, Lead Independent Director of Spotify’s Board, said the leadership transition had been in planning for several years. “We have tremendous confidence in Alex and Gustav as they step into these roles,” he said. “They have been instrumental in driving our success and enabling Spotify to lead our industry. We are also thrilled that Daniel will remain actively involved, giving Spotify founder-led strategic stewardship and mentorship to the co-CEOs.”

In a joint statement, Söderström and Norström said they were ready to lead the company into its next chapter. “Nearly three years ago, when we stepped into our roles as co-Presidents, we charged our teams with relentlessly focusing on building the best and most valuable experience available anywhere, and that ambition hasn’t changed,” they said. “While we bring different experiences and perspectives to the CEO role, we both have a strong bias to action and can’t wait to get started knowing that we will have Daniel’s full partnership and ongoing support.”

The leadership changes will take effect at the beginning of 2026.