Svenska Spel chairperson quits

Swedish media reports this week speculated on the reason behind the sudden resignation of Svenska Spel chairperson Anitra Steen (67), who will probably be replaced by Healthcare and SAS executive Erik Strand (64).

Local press reports quote Steen as saying that she “could not possibly continue” as chairperson of Svenska Spel following government plans to liberalise the online gambling market in Sweden under pressure from the European Commission (see previous reports).

Steen, the wife of former Prime Minister Goran Persson, took office in 2011 as chairman of the state’s gambling cash cow, and is regarded as one of Sweden’s most active female professional board members with organisations like Oral Care, AFA Insurance, PostNord and health care giant Attendo.

Prior to joining Svenska Spel, Steen was CEO of Systembolaget and the Director General of the National Tax Agency.

In November 2014, she received the award ‘Year’s Best Chairman in Sweden’ ‘.