Jonas Beltrame-Linné is the new Press Chief 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 Nordic Defence Sector (NDS) 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 subsequently moved into communications, where I have now worked for over 15 years. I have, among other things, 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 been communications manager 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 press chief and communications manager for the Nordic region. So it is fair to say that I thrive in an environment 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 in 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 having tried my wings in private enterprise. It now feels like I have come home again.
What made you interested in this position and in the Swedish Armed Forces specifically?
– Being press chief for the Swedish Armed Forces is one of the finest press chief positions you can hold in Sweden, and that was the feeling with which I applied for the job. 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 truly appealed to me. It is also an authority filled with enormous expertise, and for me there are few things as inspiring as working alongside people who are smarter than I am.
What does your new position 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 skilled in this area, and I look forward to continuing to develop press work together with both my immediate colleagues here in the building 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 the first time I have been part of the authority. 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.
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".