Spotify's top leadership changes hands as Ek exits CEO role

What you need to know

• Spotify’s founder Daniel Ek steps down as CEO in January 2026 to become Executive Chairman, staying hands-on with strategy and big decisions.
• Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström officially step in as co-CEOs, a move that formalizes leadership duties they’ve shared since 2023.
• Spotify says this “European chairman” setup keeps Ek actively involved, unlike the distant board roles common in the U.S.

Spotify’s leadership is entering a new era. The company announced that Daniel Ek, Spotify’s founder and CEO, will step aside from the CEO role and become Executive Chairman starting January 1, 2026.

In his new capacity, Ek plans to remain deeply involved as an active strategist overseeing long-term direction, capital allocation, regulatory issues, and key decisions.

Why now? According to Ek, it’s because the two executives already running much of the day-to-day are ready to take formal control.

Spotify is handing over the CEO reins to Gustav Söderström (formerly chief product and technology officer) and Alex Norström (formerly chief business officer). They will become co-CEOs, reporting to Ek and (pending shareholder approval) joining Spotify’s board of directors.

The streaming platform says this is not a major change. It is simply making official what has already been happening since about 2023, when Söderström and Norström started leading strategy and operations.

In its announcement, Spotify calls the new setup a 'European chairman' model, meaning Ek will stay involved, unlike the more distant role of a typical U.S. board chair.

In a joint statement, the incoming co-CEOs emphasized their long cooperation at Spotify and their commitment to maintaining momentum.

Controversy in the mix

A layer of controversy shadows the timing. Ek’s involvement via his investment firm Prima Materia in the defense tech company Helsing (with a €600 million backing) has stirred backlash in the music community.

Several artists, including Massive Attack, Deerhoof, and others, have pulled their catalogs from Spotify, citing ethical concerns about supporting military tech.

Though Spotify and the Board maintain this leadership realignment was in planning for years, critics suggest that the move may also be a reaction to reputational pressure.

Still, Spotify today is not a small startup. It operates across 184 markets, supports over 700 million users, and claims leadership in streaming.

Ek stressed that Spotify’s first full year of profitability has arrived, and that the business is stable and capable of this transition.