Who will take over the CEO role at Spotify after Daniel Ek steps down?

Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström will take over as co-CEOs of Spotify after Daniel Ek steps down.

When will the leadership transition at Spotify take effect?

The leadership transition will take effect on January 1, 2026.

How did Spotify’s stock market react to the announcement of Ek's role change?

Following the announcement, Spotify’s shares dropped more than 3% in premarket trading and over 4% when the market opened.

Why is the leadership change described as formalizing an existing balance of responsibilities?

Because Daniel Ek had already turned over much of the day-to-day management and strategy to Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström over the past years, the new titles formalize the existing operational structure.

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3M ago

Spotify Founder Daniel Ek to Transition to Executive Chairman, New Co-CEOs Appointed

Spotify founder Daniel Ek will step down as CEO on January 1, 2026, to become Executive Chairman, with Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström taking over as co-CEOs.

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Overview

A summary of the key points of this story verified across multiple sources.

Spotify founder Daniel Ek will transition from his CEO role to become Executive Chairman, effective January 1, 2026, a move planned before recent controversies.

Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström have been promoted to co-CEOs, taking over the leadership of Spotify as Ek steps into his new strategic role.

Ek's new position as Executive Chairman will allow him to focus more hands-on on strategy, capital allocation, regulatory efforts, and shaping Spotify's long-term future.

Following the announcement, Spotify's shares experienced a drop of over 3% in premarket and more than 4% in opening trading.

The leadership change establishes a European chairman setup, aiming for greater accountability and is not expected to significantly impact Spotify staff.

Written using shared reports from

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Analysis

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Center-leaning sources cover the story neutrally, presenting factual information about Daniel Ek's transition at Spotify without adopting a biased stance. They provide balanced context, including the company's growth, artist criticisms, and Ek's investment controversies, while clearly attributing strong opinions to their sources. The reporting focuses on objective details and diverse perspectives.

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Spotify founder Daniel Ek once said he was the ‘least powerful person’ at the company. Here’s how he built it into a $145 billion music empire

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FAQ

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: Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström will take over as co-CEOs of Spotify after Daniel Ek steps down.
Sources:
MusicRow.com
: As Executive Chairman, Daniel Ek will focus on Spotify's long-term strategy, capital allocation, regulatory efforts, and shaping the company's future while providing support to the senior team.
Sources:
JamBands.com
: The leadership transition will take effect on January 1, 2026.
Sources:
Times of India
: Following the announcement, Spotify’s shares dropped more than 3% in premarket trading and over 4% when the market opened.
Sources:
MusicRow.com
: Because Daniel Ek had already turned over much of the day-to-day management and strategy to Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström over the past years, the new titles formalize the existing operational structure.
Sources:
JamBands.com

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