Jonas Beltrame-Linné is the new Head of Press at the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten). With experience from both the media industry and the public sector, he steps into a role where the demands for clear and trust-building communication are higher than ever. He speaks to FSN about his background, motivations, and how he views his new assignment. What is your background?
– Like many other press chiefs, I am a journalist by training, but I moved into communications over 15 years ago. I have worked at the Swedish Police Authority's national press centre, served as communications manager at the Municipality of Gävle (central Sweden) and Region Gotland (the strategically important Swedish island in the Baltic Sea), and was communications director at the long-since-closed Arvika Festival. What all these roles have in common is that they involved significant media pressure and exciting operations. The same applies to the healthcare provider Kry, where I spent the past four years as global head of press and communications director for the Nordic region. So it is fair to say that I thrive in environments where things happen that affect many people.
Why did you choose to start working in the defence sector?
– For me, it is important to work in a sector that genuinely contributes and makes a real difference. In the times we are living through now, the work of the Swedish Armed Forces is of course enormously important, and being able to play even a small part in that whole is incredibly inspiring and challenging. I also had a strong desire to return to the public sector after testing the waters in private enterprise. It feels like coming home again.
What made you interested in this position and the Swedish Armed Forces specifically?
– Being head of press for the Swedish Armed Forces is one of the finest press chief positions you can hold in Sweden, and that was the feeling I had when I applied. I want to go to work every morning and feel that I am part of something greater together with my colleagues. The Swedish Armed Forces face major challenges and opportunities, and that is a journey that was truly appealing. It is also an organisation filled with enormous expertise, and there are few things I find as inspiring as working alongside people who are smarter than I am.
What does your new role involve?
– I will work operationally, strategically, and with a forward-looking approach on media and press matters, and lead the work of the press centre. The Swedish Armed Forces are genuinely accomplished in this area, and I look forward to continuing to develop press work together with both my immediate colleagues here and with colleagues at units across the country. Together we can take further steps as an internal support function and as a service function for media and journalists, while also engaging in military-strategic communication.
What is at the top of your agenda for the next six months?
– First and foremost, a humble attitude towards the fact that there is a great deal I need to learn about the Swedish Armed Forces and our operations, as this is my first time being part of the organisation. But I do have considerable experience in press work and communications, so I hope I can contribute new perspectives and ideas.
I want to continue sharpening our press work and create a good working environment with order, structure, and above all a sense of joy in the work, so that we can make the most of the expertise we possess and prioritise correctly. Our unit is growing, and that creates an opportunity for us to become Sweden's best press centre.
Nordic Defence Sector (NDS) has previously interviewed, among others, Tobias Billström and Karin Swanson in this series. If you know someone who would be suitable for this interview series, or feel that you yourself would be a good fit, NDS can be reached at news@nordicdefencesector.com. Please mark the email "New on the Job".