Starting in February 2023, Sofia Wadensjö Karén will be the new program director at Sveriges Radio. Sofia comes most recently from her position as CEO at Utbildningsradion. Sofia replaces Björn Löfdahl, who continues as acting CEO at Sveriges Radio.
In Sofia Wadensjö Karén, Sveriges Radio gets a new program director with an exciting background and an external perspective. Sofia is a very knowledgeable and committed leader with a proven passion for good journalism and with a drive and an ability to achieve change that few possess. I am so happy that she now chooses to come to us at Sveriges Radio. She will be a great force in our company management and a perfect new program director to have by my side, says Sveriges Radio’s CEO Cilla Benkö .
Sofia Wadensjö Karén has a broad and solid journalistic background with experience from both the daytime and evening press as well as magazines and in recent years also radio and television. Over the years, she has held several leading journalistic roles, including as feature manager at Aftonbladet, editor-in-chief of Tidningen Vi and CEO of Vi Media, and most recently as CEO of Utbildningsradion. Sofia Wadensjö Karén has also held a number of positions of trust in the media industry. In the years 2016–2018, for example, she was chairman of the board for Utgivarna, for many years she sat on the jury for the Stora Journalistpriset and since a couple of years ago she is the chairman of the media ethics management body (Mefo). In 2017, she received Sveriges Tidskrifter’s Grand Prix, among other things, with the justification that she”inspires by fighting for free, independent journalism with high credibility” .
My entire professional life has revolved around protecting and developing good journalism, ensuring high quality at all levels and working for a strong and creative corporate culture. Now, together with all of the radio’s proven skilled employees, I want to take the next step to further strengthen and develop the radio offering for the future. My time at UR has been fantastic, few roles can compete with what I do today, but the one as program director for Sveriges Radio was impossible to turn down. For me personally, it feels incredibly meaningful to be part of – and contribute to – Sveriges Radio’s important mission, says incoming program director Sofia Wadensjö Karén .
Björn Löfdahl continues in the role of acting CEO at Sveriges Radio. During the autumn of 2022, in addition to being program director, he will, among other things, be responsible for reorganizing the management of the program unit at Sveriges Radio.
Björn Löfdahl’s long time as program director at Sveriges Radio has been characterized by a solid knowledge of Sveriges Radio and journalism, a steady stream of ideas, passion and commitment. I will miss him enormously in that role but am very happy that he will remain at the company for a while longer, says Cilla Benkö.
After February 2023, Björn Löfdahl will have a changed role, then as acting CEO at Sveriges Radio with special responsibility for company-wide projects.
After fifteen years in the role of program director, I feel it is time to hand over the baton. I will now focus on implementing the change in the program unit’s management team, which Sofia will then take on. I look forward to working with her when she starts with us. Being program director with us is a fantastic job with many knowledgeable and fun colleagues and I wish her the best of luck, says Björn Löfdahl .
Björn Löfdahl will remain in the company management until Sofia Wadensjö Karén starts at Sveriges Radio in mid-February 2023.