Hemnet appoints Michael Hansen interim CEO as Gustafsson exits on Nov. 5
Key Facts
Hemnet said on Nov. 4, 2026, that Jonas Gustafsson would leave the CEO post and Michael Hansen would take over on an interim basis from Nov. 5, a date confirmed by Sveriges Radio. The company said the board and Gustafsson had agreed on the leadership transition in preparation for the next phase. The change puts the company under an interim CEO as it begins selecting a permanent successor. The board said it had begun recruitment procedures immediately. Gustafsson will remain available to advise during the handover, according to Hemnet’s statement.
The change follows a third quarter in which Hemnet’s results weakened compared with the same period a year earlier. Net sales fell 17.8% to 301.5 million Swedish kronor, while EBITDA declined 26.3% to 144.1 million kronor. In the first nine months of 2026, net sales fell 21.9% to 920.4 million kronor, and EBITDA dropped 33.9% to 405.8 million kronor. The figures reflect a decline broader than the three-month period alone, as the company’s commercial and organizational strategy changes. The company did not say that financial performance was the reason for the agreement to change CEOs.
The number of paid listings on the platform fell 29.6% year over year to 29,300 in the third quarter, but average revenue per paid listing rose 9.2% to 8,986 kronor. Hemnet said about 4 of every 10 sellers chose its “Show now, pay later” service, one of its higher-priced options. The company also attributed the increase in average revenue per listing to continued demand for its higher-tier packages, as well as sellers’ choice of that service. The “Show now, pay later” model recognizes revenue when the property is sold, rather than spreading it over the listing period. The company said this timing was one of the factors affecting the impact of paid listings and sales during the quarter.
Hemnet presented the leadership change in the context of a strategic shift that it said had lowered barriers to listing properties for sale and made the organization faster and more efficient. In late September, the company announced an initiative to bring all properties for sale onto its platform. On Oct. 20, it launched the first step, a free basic-tier listing option available to real estate agents. It said agency websites would be indexed automatically at a later stage as part of efforts to expand market coverage. The company also carried out a restructuring in the third quarter to build a leaner, more efficient organization, saying the new phase required greater speed and flexibility.
Hansen, whom Hemnet appointed interim CEO, has more than 25 years of experience as a leader, entrepreneur and investor, particularly in growth companies in the software-as-a-service and fintech sectors, according to the company’s statement. His most recent role was on Fortnox’s executive management team from 2021 to 2025, where he was responsible for financial services. He also founded fintech company Capito, which Fortnox acquired in 2021. That experience gives him a direct connection to the software and financial services sectors around which the company is developing its platform. Hemnet did not set a timeline for selecting a permanent CEO, but said the board had begun the search immediately.
Gustafsson took the helm at Hemnet after serving as CEO of the Allente Group, where he led the merger of Canal Digital and Viasat Consumer, according to the earlier appointment announcement. He also held senior roles at MTG Group, including heading Nordic Entertainment Group Sweden and Viasat Consumer Nordics. This background provides context for his executive career before he took charge of the Swedish property platform. The company describes the current transition as an agreement with the board in preparation for the next phase. Hansen’s start date remains Nov. 5, while Gustafsson will remain available during the handover.