Spotify has appointed Christian Luiga as its new Chief Financial Officer, following Paul Vogel's departure. The announcement coincided with Spotify's stock hitting a 52-week high of $304 per share, with subsequent trading pushing it to $313.07 before settling at $310.31.

Luiga, who brings extensive experience from Swedish defense company Saab where he served as CFO and deputy CEO, will take over the position in Q3 2024. During the transition period, VP of financial planning and analysis Ben Kung will serve as interim CFO.

The appointment comes as Spotify enters what CEO Daniel Ek describes as a "new phase" requiring different leadership experience. This transition follows Vogel's four-year tenure, during which Spotify expanded into non-music audio content including podcasts, audiobooks, live programming, and games.

Notable connections exist between Luiga and Spotify's ecosystem:

• Luiga's former employer Saab is an investor in Ek-backed AI defense operation Helsing
• Ek invested €100 million in Helsing through his Prima Materia investment firm
• Both Saab and Helsing recently secured a significant AI contract with the German government

With Luiga's appointment, Spotify's senior management now features a Swedish majority, including:

• Daniel Ek (CEO)
• Katarina Berg (Chief HR Officer)
• Alex Norström (CBO)
• Gustav Söderström (CTO)

According to Saab's announcement, Luiga will remain with the company until October 3rd to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

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