– Set to lead the company’s communication technology into the future
With over 15 years of experience within the company and a background in both touring and technology, Daniel Erlandsson steps up as the new CEO of TPO. His mission: to guide the company toward a future focused on innovation, civil preparedness, and stronger communication in challenging environments.
Daniel Erlandsson has been appointed the new CEO of TPO, a company that develops and delivers robust communication infrastructure for demanding conditions across the globe. With a background in the events industry and a long tenure at TPO, he now takes the helm with ambitions to broaden the business and strengthen the company’s role in civil preparedness.
With offices in both Stockholm and Gothenburg, TPO has its roots in large-scale music events but is today an expanding player in the construction, mining, and tunneling industries.
Erlandsson, 46, most recently held the role of operations manager. His career, however, began in the transport industry. After completing a program in event project management, he landed a job at Melodifestivalen (the Swedish Eurovision pre-selection) in 2011, where he started as a production assistant and network technician.
When Axel Ekblad—then production manager for Melodifestivalen—left to run TPO, Daniel stepped into his role.
“You could definitely say I followed in Axel’s footsteps,” he says with a laugh.
He describes his time with Melodifestivalen as intense and educational:
“It’s not a glamorous production—more like one big, temporary construction site. I worked on behalf of the tour producer and was responsible for both budgets and personnel. It was a fantastic learning experience.”
Since then, Daniel has held a variety of roles at TPO. In the early years, the company’s work was primarily seasonal, often subcontracting for Eurovision Song Contest. He’s also served as tour manager for several Swedish artists.
“The tour manager role actually has a lot in common with being a CEO—it’s about managing budgets, building a safe environment for your team, and helping everyone perform at their best.”
His deep understanding of the company is something he sees as a major advantage.
“I’ve pulled fiber cables and driven loaders. I have no problem rolling up my sleeves. Now, I want us to keep refining our services and creating even greater value for our customers. We often talk about ‘connecting,’ but I’d like us to talk more about ‘bringing people together.’”
TPO’s future will also include broadening its business model and investing more in product development. In recent years, the company has increasingly worked with civil preparedness projects.
“As resilience requirements grow, we see a rising need for flexible and robust solutions within the public sector as well. We recently participated in an exercise with the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the municipality of Knivsta, testing how electronic communication can be maintained during crises. With our experience in temporary, secure communication solutions, we have a lot to offer.”
On a personal note, Daniel now lives in the countryside outside Linköping. Previously logging up to 200 travel days a year, his life took a new turn during the pandemic—he found love, became a parent, and moved out of Stockholm.
“It took a little while to adjust, but I really enjoy it. There are cows outside the house, and the Göta Canal runs right through the property.”
Today, he splits his work time between TPO’s Stockholm office and remote work.
“We’re about 20 employees, but rarely all in the same place. Right now, we have one team just back from Los Angeles and San Francisco, another en route to Miami, and a third preparing connectivity for the Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm. We also work with a large number of consultants to ensure we always have the right expertise for each project.”
Former CEO Daniel Söderberg will now join the company’s board of directors.
“Daniel is a true professional, both in change management and in empowering his people. It feels incredibly reassuring to have him as a sounding board. We also have a highly skilled CFO, which allows me to fully focus on leadership and development,” says Daniel Erlandsson.
Text: Hugo Rehnberg
Foto: Christopher Hunt