PRESS RELEASE
In conjunction with convening an Annual General Meeting, Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) announces that Anna Kinberg Batra has been nominated new Chairman of the Board of Directors by the company’s owner.
“In a world characterized by both rapid digital transformation and geopolitical challenges, space becomes even more important for life on Earth. Sweden already has what it takes to become a global leader in space, not least in the rapidly growing satellite market. Now more than ever, it is important that we take that opportunity, for both economic and political reasons. I look forward to taking the next step in the development of Sweden as a space nation,” says Anna Kinberg Batra.
The rapid tech development has contributed to exponential growth in the space sector, with an increasing number of actors and a growing public interest. And Sweden is no exception. Among other things, SSC is currently working dedicatedly to make Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden the first place on EU territory with the ability to launch satellites, a market that is expected to multiply in the coming years.
“SSC has an important role in Sweden being an important space actor. Space activities are crucial for positioning systems, weather forecasts and monitoring climate change. Also, much of the technology that is developed for space applications often becomes consumer products eventually, such as the mobile camera and bluetooth. I’m happy to nominate Anna Kinberg Batra as the new chairman of SSC, adding her solid experience from politics and society but also from her previous years on the SSC board,” says Sweden’s Minister of Trade and Industry Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson.
Anna Kinberg Batra is a graduate of Stockholm School of Economics and has been a member of the SSC board since 2018. Previously, she was the leader of the Swedish political party Moderaterna, a member of parliament, special adviser in the Government Offices and the European Parliament, as well as Head of Information for the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. Today she works as an advisor, lecturer and on various boards within social change and technology, such as Castellum, Cinis fertilizer, Polarium, Soltech Energy and Svensk Solenergi. She has also been tasked by the government to investigate the role of the state in the payment market. Anna Kinberg Batra replaces Monica Lingegård who has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of SSC since 2016.
“The space industry has grown a lot since I joined the company. In recent years, we have taken many steps towards making SSC the driving force in space that the company is today. But everything comes to an end and so does my assignment as Chairman of the Board of Directors of SSC. I warmly hand over this position to Anna who will bring her valuable experiences to the company,” says Monica Lingegård.
The position will be appointed at SSC’s Annual General Meeting on 26 April.
