Erik Årnell appointed CEO of Åkestam Holst / NoA

Erik Årnell joins NoA as CEO of Swedish advertising agency Åkestam Holst / NoA. He has taken over the internationally acclaimed advertising agency from Jerker Winther, who has served as acting CEO since the turn of the year.

Erik Årnell has extensive experience from both the agency world and the client side, most recently holding the position of Nordic CEO at BBDO. His leadership is set to further solidify Åkestam Holst's reputation as an agency dedicated to making impactful creative communication that drives real value for its clients, their customers, and society at large.

“With Erik on board, Åkestam Holst gains a CEO with a solid agency background, an outstanding network, and a deep understanding of the unique culture that has driven the agency’s success in both the Swedish and international markets. After a structured recruitment process involving many candidates from various industries, we are confident that Erik is the right person to uphold Åkestam Holst’s legacy and lead it into the future. His experience at Klarna, where he played a key role in bridging creativity with technology at a rapidly scaling fintech company, furthermore strengthens NoA’s ability to merge innovative marketing with cutting-edge tech solutions,” says Jonathan Pettersson, CEO of NoA Sweden.

Erik Årnell, CEO of Åkestam Holst / NoA, emphasizes the growing role of communication as a business driver: “Within many boardrooms, creative communication is an under-appreciated business tool to drive change. The key to regain that confidence, is not only to come up with great communication. You must also be able to implement it across large organizations and fragmented customer journeys with great effect. With NoA’s diverse portfolio, we have the ability to increase the effect of our creative work by combining top tier creative thinking and deep tech expertise”.

Alongside his CEO role at Åkestam Holst, Erik Årnell will play a key role in strengthening NoA’s cross-disciplinary offerings in Sweden. He will also work closely with the Nordic sister companies &Co. (Denmark), Anorak (Norway), and Bob the Robot (Finland) to solidify NoA’s position as a regional leader and internationally recognized player in the creative industry.

“I look forward to working with my Nordic colleagues to further establish NoA as a globally respected force in creativity and marketing. In a world of constant change, not least with the advent of generative AI, NoA has a unique opportunity to take a new exciting step together with both local and international clients and brands,” continues Erik Årnell.