Daniel Ek built Spotify to beat piracy. Now he chairs it

When Spotify launched in 2008, most digital music was being shared for free. Daniel Ek’s bet was that a legal service could beat piracy by being more convenient than it: a huge licensed catalog, instant playback, a free tier with ads and a paid tier without them.

Ek founded Spotify in Stockholm in 2006 with Martin Lorentzon. Before that, he had sold an online advertising company and briefly served as chief executive of the file-sharing client µTorrent, which gave him a close view of how people actually wanted to get music.

Building the habit

Spotify spent years negotiating with record labels country by country, then made its name on personalization, with playlists and recommendations that kept people listening. It added podcasts and audiobooks, and in April 2018 it went public on the New York Stock Exchange through a direct listing rather than a traditional IPO.

From player to coach

On January 1, 2026, Ek became executive chairman. Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström, two longtime Spotify executives, became co-CEOs and report to him. Spotify described the new role as closer to a European-style chairman, with Ek responsible for capital allocation and long-term direction.

Ek has also put time into investments outside Spotify, including the health-tech company Neko Health and the defense-technology company Helsing.

What to watch

A two-CEO structure is rare at a company of Spotify’s size. How Söderström and Norström divide product and business decisions, and how Spotify handles AI-generated music and artist payouts, will define the next chapter.

Company

Spotify

Role

Co-founder & Executive Chairman

HQ

Stockholm, Sweden

Founded

2006

Section

Consumer Tech

This profile draws on public reporting and company materials.

Sources: Business Wire: Spotify leadership announcement · Music Business Worldwide · Wikipedia: Daniel Ek

Photo: Lukasz Kobus/European Commission, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons