Frank Hojem will take on the position of Head of Communications and Sustainability at Swedish state-owned lottery and betting firm Svenska Spel later this year.
A graduate of the Stockholm School of Business, Hojem joins the company from Nordics-focused financial services firm SEB, where he was Head of Corporate Communication.
Prior to this he worked in communications and public affairs roles for LKAB, an international mining and mineral group, and is a graduate of the Stockholm School of Economics.
“I am very happy to welcome Frank Hojem to Svenska Spel,” said Svenska Spel CEO and President Patrik Hofbauer.
“As Head of Communication and Sustainability, he will be able to contribute with his solid competence in communication, and also his knowledge of sustainability work, which is a priority area for the Svenska Spel Group.
“Frank’s long experience in leading communication positions in large companies will be a very positive addition to our group management.”
Hojem will report directly to Hofbauer and will assume his position on 14 August 2023, at a time of positive trading for the firm. According to the company’s last financial update, Q1 2023 revenue was up 2% on the previous year to SEK 1.97bn (€175m), with online turnover noticeably higher.
Also of significance to Svenska Spel is Hojem’s political career, which includes tenures as Press Secretary to former Centre Party leader Maud Olofsson and Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Enterprise.
His political experience may prove useful for Svenska Spel as a wave of regulatory change sweeps across Europe, including Sweden.
Amendments to the 2018 Gambling Act were approved last year, covering – among other things – a restructuring of Svenska Spel. Currently, the Centre Party, which Hojem worked for, forms part of the governing four-party coalition.
Hojem commented: “I look forward to working with communication and sustainability at Svenska Spel, which has a unique position as the entire Swedish gambling company, as an important partner to Swedish sports, with a strong focus on sustainability and where the surplus goes back to society.
“It will be exciting to change industries and work with Svenska Spel, which has both a strong group brand and well-known product brands. I hope to contribute to further strengthening Svenska Spel’s trust among all our stakeholders and push our sustainability agenda forward.”
