Spotify founder Daniel Ek will step down as chief executive officer on 1 January 2026 and transition to the role of executive chairman as part of a long-planned leadership restructuring at the world’s largest music streaming platform.
Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström
The company said Gustav Söderström, its chief product and technology officer, and Alex Norström, chief business officer, will take over as co-chief executives. Both will join Spotify’s board of directors, subject to shareholder approval, and continue to report to Ek.
The move reflects how Spotify has operated since 2023, with the two senior executives effectively steering day-to-day strategy and execution. In his new role, Ek will adopt what the company described as a “European-style” chairman structure—focusing on capital allocation, long-term growth, and providing strategic oversight while mentoring the incoming co-CEOs, the company explained over a press note.
“With more than 700 million users, we’ve charted a new course for how creativity reaches audiences across the globe,” Ek said. “This change simply aligns titles with the way we’ve already been running the company. I’ll continue to guide Spotify’s long-term future while Alex and Gustav lead the next phase.”
‘In work for several years‘
Woody Marshall, lead independent director of Spotify’s board, said the transition had been in the works for several years. “We have tremendous confidence in Alex and Gustav. They have been central to Spotify’s success, and their appointment gives the company both continuity and fresh energy,” he said.
Söderström and Norström, who have each spent over 15 years at Spotify, said they will continue to prioritise building the “most valuable experience available anywhere” while benefitting from Ek’s ongoing involvement.
Spotify, which launched in 2008, has transformed global music consumption with its subscription streaming model. The company further said that they recorded 696 million users as of June 2025, with 276 million paid subscribers across 184 markets. Spotify’s catalogue consists of 100 million songs, 7 million podcasts and 350,000 audiobooks, the company added.