Adolf Kristjansson, previously an executive at EA, has been named CEO of Starbreeze

Adolf Kristjansson has been named the new CEO of Starbreeze, starting on April 1. His appointment succeeds Mats Juhl, who will return to his previous position as CFO.

With two decades of experience in the gaming sector, Kristjansson has contributed to franchises such as FIFA, Battlefield, Apex Legends, and Star Wars. During his tenure at EA, he held significant positions, including international commercial senior director and global head of digital.

Kristjansson expressed his eagerness about joining Starbreeze, particularly regarding the company's current and prospective initiatives like the forthcoming Dungeons & Dragons game. He is committed to furthering the expansion of the Payday series and aiding the transformation of Starbreeze into a multi-title studio. He is also keen on collaborating with the skilled teams at Starbreeze and engaging with their player community.

Jürgen Goeldner, chairperson, welcomed Kristjansson on behalf of the board, anticipating a successful collaboration. He also acknowledged Juhl's contributions as the interim CEO.

In May, it was announced that CFO Mats Juhl would temporarily become interim CEO, succeeding former CEO Juergen Goeldner, who stepped back to become chairman. Juhl took on the CFO role in 2020, replacing Claes Wenthzel amid a company restructuring.

Goeldner took on the role of interim CEO in March 2024 after Tobias Sjörgren stepped down. The motivation behind the leadership change was not disclosed.