Pontus Agerteg takes up the role of Deputy CEO with responsibility for sales and marketing at Snigel in September. Nordic Defence Sector is present at Eurosatory in Paris, where the defence and security industry is gathering this week, and met him for a conversation about his background, his path into the defence sector, and what awaits in the new role.

What is your background?

My background is in the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten), where I worked for 16 years in various positions in the Air Force. It was primarily connected to the base security rangers (flygbasjägarna), but also tactical development at air bases.

For the past ten years I have been in the defence sector, in various sales roles at Bertin Exensor, which supplies tactical ground sensor systems to armed forces around the world. My role has mainly been to manage the Swedish market from a sales perspective, but also to establish service operations globally for the company's various systems.

Why did you choose to start working in the defence industry?

Initially, it was actually because I was tired of commuting and wanted to do something different. It was at a time when budget cuts were at their very worst and there was no growth in the defence sector. I had young children and was given the opportunity to work in Lund (southern Sweden), which was a good opportunity.

Since then, however, it has grown into a new way of being able to contribute to Swedish defence capability. I still have close relationships with many colleagues in the Swedish Armed Forces, but I feel that I perhaps contribute more to Swedish defence capability today by working in the defence industry. That applies both on the company side and through networking, but also in my role at SOFF (the Swedish Defence and Security Industry Association), where I serve as chairman of the small and medium-sized enterprises group.

I believe I have a great deal to contribute to Swedish defence capability in that capacity.

What made you say yes to the role at Snigel?

There has been a close dialogue with Malin Hlawatsch, and I have been following the company for many years. I think Snigel is in a very interesting period right now, with the growth that is taking place, the restructuring of the company, and the ambition to take the next step.

It will be enormously inspiring to get to work together with Malin and the team at Snigel.

What does your new position involve?

It is very interesting, and I do not yet fully know everything it entails. But in essence, I will be working together with Malin to help build, develop, and prepare the company for the next stage.

My primary responsibility lies in sales and marketing. It is about being able to capture new market shares, expand, streamline, and optimise sales within the existing customer base, and to grow that base going forward.

What is at the top of your agenda for the next six months?

I am going to take a long summer holiday, enjoy the summer, and recharge my batteries ahead of the exciting challenge this autumn.

Once I start, it will be about getting to grips with everything the role entails. I am staying in the sector, but at the same time moving into a completely new industry. I am going from high tech and ground sensor systems, which have developed me greatly on a personal level and where I have been able to challenge myself, to stepping into something new in the textile industry.

It is a genuinely exciting challenge.

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".