Adolf Kristjansson Takes the Helm as Starbreeze's New CEO

Starbreeze has named Adolf Kristjansson as its new chief executive officer, effective April 1. Kristjansson succeeds interim CEO Mats Juhl, who will resume his duties as the company's CFO. With over two decades of experience in the gaming industry, Kristjansson has worked on prominent IPs such as FIFA, Battlefield, Apex Legends, and Star Wars during his tenure at EA, where he held senior roles including international commercial senior director and global head of digital. Kristjansson expressed his enthusiasm for joining Starbreeze, citing the company's current and upcoming projects, including the highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons title. He also looks forward to expanding the Payday franchise and transforming Starbreeze into a multi-title studio. "I am eager to collaborate closely with our talented teams and engage with our passionate player community as we build the next chapter of Starbreeze together," Kristjansson stated. Jürgen Goeldner, chairperson of the board, welcomed Kristjansson to Starbreeze and acknowledged Mats Juhl's contributions during his time as interim CEO. The appointment of Juhl as interim CEO was announced in May, following the decision of then-CEO Juergen Goeldner to step down and take on the role of chairman of the board. Juhl had been appointed CFO in 2020, succeeding Claes Wenthzel after a period of restructuring at the company. Goeldner had taken on the role of interim CEO in March 2024, after Tobias Sjörgren's decision to step down, with no reason given for the change in leadership.