Spotify shared that its co-founder Daniel Ek will transition from his role as Chief Executive Officer, and take up the position of Executive Chairman. The move will be effective from 1 January, 2026, and will see a significant shift in Daniel’s responsibilities. Instead of focusing mostly on daily operations, the role of Executive Chairman will see him zoom in on the long-term strategy, capital allocation, regulatory engagement and guiding the board. Additionally, Spotify co-presidents Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström will become co-CEOs, who will have to report directly Daniel once his new role take effect.
In a letter to employees titled Evolving How We Lead, Daniel emphasised that while his title is changing, his commitment remains unwavering: “What changes is my time and focus. As executive chairman, I will spend more of my time on the long arc: strategy, capital allocation, regulatory efforts and the calls that will shape the next decade for Spotify.”
While Spotify currently has over 700 million subscribers and hosts a vast library of more than 100 million songs, 7 million podcasts, and 350,000 audiobooks, the platform faces renewed scrutiny over ethical accountability and governance. 
The timing of Daniel’s transition aligns with the ever-increasing backlash in the music community. Massive Attack and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are among artists who recently requested that their catalogue be removed from Spotify in all territories, citing objections to Daniel’s €600 million investment in Helsing, a weapons-technology firm developing AI and drone systems. They argued that continuing to stream their music implicates artists in funding what Massive Attack call “lethal, dystopian technologies.”
Spotify has responded to the controversy by asserting that it operates independently from Helsing, and that the two companies remain legally distinct.
