Former Electronic Arts executive Adolf Kristjansson has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Swedish gaming company Starbreeze. This announcement was made to investors, marking a significant transition as Kristjansson steps in to replace interim CEO Mats Juhl, who held the position since May 2024.
Kristjansson’s Journey in the Gaming Industry
Kristjansson brings with him a wealth of experience from the European gaming sector, having embarked on his career in 1999 as the managing director of Tæknival / BT, a distributor for Electronic Arts in Iceland. His journey continued as he took on the role of regional managing director at GAME, a prominent retailer in Sweden. In 2010, he joined Electronic Arts, where he dedicated over a decade to the company, ultimately serving as senior director of global commercial strategy.
In addition to his extensive background at EA, Kristjansson has also contributed to the boards of Silverfox and Thunderful Group, further solidifying his reputation within the industry.
Expressing his enthusiasm for his new role, Kristjansson stated, “I join Starbreeze with great enthusiasm for the company’s current and future projects, not the least the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons title. I look forward to continuing the work of expanding the Payday franchise further and building Starbreeze into a true multi-title studio. Most of all, I look forward to working closely with our talented teams and engaging with our passionate player community as we build the next chapter of Starbreeze together.”
Starbreeze chair Jürgen Goeldner welcomed Kristjansson, stating, “On behalf of the board, I want to welcome Adolf to Starbreeze and I look forward to a long and fruitful cooperation. I also want to take the opportunity to thank Mats Juhl for his great contribution during his period as interim CEO.”
