To start, can you share how your journey to the CFO role at Ericsson unfolded, and what drew you to this position?

"I started out as an engineer, not in finance. I spent a few years in engineering before shifting into sales and then into commercial management. That’s where I first collaborated closely with finance teams, and I saw the value of understanding the business end-to-end. I made the move into finance about 15 years ago, and it’s been a passion ever since.

Ericsson has been instrumental in shaping that journey—this is my sixth country assignment and my fourth role within finance here. I’ve worked across operational, customer-facing, and now R&D settings. That broad exposure has been critical in forming a comprehensive financial and performance management perspective."

How would you define the CFO’s mandate at Ericsson today, especially given the company’s pivotal role in global connectivity?

"The CFO role has shifted dramatically. It’s no longer just about accounting and reporting. It’s about performance management, enabling value-based decision-making, and working across commercial and operational areas to drive efficiency and competitiveness.

I spend time understanding how we capture revenue, where to invest, and how to maximize return on investment. Change management and digital fluency are becoming essential traits of the modern CFO. In some ways, every CFO today needs to be part strategist, part operator, and part transformer."

What does digital transformation mean within the finance team at Ericsson, and where are you in that journey?

"There are two sides to this. First, from a systems perspective, we have an advanced financial infrastructure. We operate in over 100 countries and can consolidate quarterly financials within 10 days—that’s a strong system backbone.

Second is finance digitalisation, which varies across Ericsson. In my previous role in Northeast Asia, we linked financial and non-financial data to generate deeper insights. More importantly, we moved beyond reporting to actionable outcomes. Our digital platforms told stakeholders what to do next—a significant leap.

In my current R&D role, we’re earlier in the journey. Teams are still on parallel, standalone paths. The next step is integration—linking operations, finance, and insights to action. AI is another layer: the challenge is how much financial data can securely be processed through AI tools. We're seeing good traction on AI use cases in non-financial areas like document conversion and test automation."

What role does the finance function play in shaping Ericsson’s broader corporate strategy?

"A big one. Especially in R&D, where spending is investment-heavy. I focus on how we allocate capital: are we supporting recurring revenue or investing in new streams? Are we preserving our technology leadership?

We’ve shifted from traditional cost control to investment-based thinking. Where should we double down to drive optimal returns? Internally, it’s also about improving productivity. That means asking: where do we need to be more efficient? What enablers can help us get there? This includes automation, AI, and rethinking unnecessarily complex processes.

The aim isn’t cost-cutting for its own sake, but building a cost-conscious culture that supports competitiveness. As CFOs, we bring together investment discipline, operational efficiency, and long-term value creation."

What kind of leadership culture are you cultivating within your finance organisation to encourage agility, innovation, and resilience?

"In my previous role, we realised early on that digital transformation required new skills. Finance people weren’t equipped to influence stakeholders or communicate effectively. So we launched an upskilling programme focused on communication, business acumen, and engagement.

We ran it for four years, mentoring small cohorts. The results were transformational—finance evolved into a true business powerhouse. Alongside digital tools, we built capabilities in how to partner, enable, and lead.

In my current role, I’m pushing for integration and clarity. We’re often dealing with over-complicated systems and unclear data. My goal is to bring transparency that enables control and performance. Leadership here is also about asking the right questions and steering change through fact-based decisions."

How does the finance team contribute to Ericsson’s ESG strategy and reporting?

"Finance has a dual role here: enabler and example-setter. We back the company’s sustainability targets, from CO2 emissions to reduced travel. But we also lead through finance-specific tools.

A key example is our green bond initiative. It comes with sustainability criteria we must meet to benefit from better terms. That forces us to design more energy-efficient processes and systems. We're also involved in sustainability efforts around product design and usage, helping shape lower-emission and less resource-intensive outcomes."

What do you see as the biggest opportunity and biggest risk for finance leaders over the next 3–5 years?

"The biggest risk is mindset—resisting change. We can’t afford to be anchored in legacy tools like Excel. I pushed my previous team to adopt new platforms like Power BI and Tableau. I completed the training myself, built the dashboards, and said: if I can do it, so can you. That kind of leadership matters.

The biggest opportunity? Reinventing finance as a value-driving function. Very few roles in a company have end-to-end visibility across all processes. If we combine financial competence with business and operational knowledge, we can be key players in investment decisions and operational strategy. That’s where the impact lies."

Finally, what advice would you give aspiring CFOs?

"Embrace a growth mindset. And most importantly, understand the business. Don’t keep finance in a silo. Connect it deeply to operations, commercial strategy, and decision-making. That’s where finance leadership makes a real difference."