Why Daniel Ek stepped down as Spotify CEO

Daniel Ek stepped down as Spotify’s CEO because of the strong work by his top executives, not due to any outside issues. Ek said the move recognises how well co-presidents Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström have handled daily operations since 2023. “It’s less a function of really anything except the fact that Alex and Gustav are truly delivering exceptionally well already,” Ek said. “And I feel like this is a natural evolution of what we already do as a leadership team.”

Spotify announced on Tuesday. Ek, who founded the company, will shift to Executive Chairman on January 1, 2026. In that role, he will focus on setting the company’s long-term direction, deciding how to spend its money, and guiding the senior team. This setup matches how chairs often work in Europe.

Söderström and Norström will become co-CEOs. They already serve as co-presidents, with Söderström handling product and technology, and Norström overseeing business operations. Both will report to Ek and join Spotify’s board of directors, pending approval from shareholders.

The change builds on how Spotify has run things for the past two years. The co-presidents have led strategy and day-to-day tasks, the company said. Ek described his shift as moving from hands-on manager to advisor. “Since taking over as co-Presidents in 2023, the two executives have really stepped up in a material way, taking much of the day-to-day responsibilities,” Ek noted. He added that he will team up with them on major strategic choices that shape Spotify’s future.

Ek started Spotify in 2006. He has led it through growth into a global streaming service with over 600 million users. Under his watch, the company went public in 2018 and expanded into podcasts and audiobooks. Now, at age 42, Ek wants to step back from the CEO spot to let others take the lead.

Söderström brings a background in tech and startups. He joined Spotify in 2009 after working as director of product and business development at Yahoo! Mobile from 2006 to 2009. Before that, he founded Kenet Works in 2003, a firm that built community software for mobile phones. He ran it as CEO until Yahoo bought it in 2006. Söderström also invests in early-stage companies and started 13th Lab, which Facebook’s Oculus acquired.

Norström came to Spotify in 2011 from King.com Ltd, where he was Chief New Business Officer. He has held several roles at the company, including Chief Freemium Business Officer, Chief Premium Business Officer, Vice President of Growth, and Vice President of Subscriptions. From 2016 to December 2019, he sat on the board of directors at Circle, a financial services firm.

Woody Marshall, Spotify’s Lead Independent Director, backed the plan. “The Board has been working closely with Daniel on the evolution of Spotify’s leadership structure for several years,” Marshall said. “We have tremendous confidence in Alex and Gustav as they step into these roles. They each have more than 15 years with the company and have been instrumental in driving our success and enabling Spotify to lead our industry. We are also thrilled that Daniel will be actively involved, giving Spotify both founder-led strategic stewardship and mentorship to the co-CEOs as the company continues to innovate and scale.”

The transition comes at a steady time for Spotify. The company reported strong results in its latest quarter, with monthly active users up 11 percent to 696 million and premium subscribers rising 12 percent to 276 million. Revenue grew 10 percent year-on-year to €4.2 billion euros. Spotify faces competition from Apple Music, YouTube Music with the latter already testing AI music host features to challenge Spotify’s AI DJ.

As co-CEOs, Söderström and Norström will split duties. Söderström will push product improvements, like better recommendations and audio features. Norström will handle business growth, including ads and partnerships.

Ek said the decision feels right. “I will work with Gustav and Alex on the big strategic decisions that we face in the long arc of the company,” he explained. In the end, Ek’s step back honors his team’s progress. It positions Spotify to tackle future challenges, from AI tools to new markets.