Klarna CEO: "Swedishness" is a "Huge Asset" Amidst Identity Debate

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski views "svenskhet" (Swedishness) as a significant asset for a Swedish executive leading an international company. These comments emerged during a recent social media debate on national identity. Siemiatkowski's remarks were a response to a post on X by Swedish Member of Parliament Jessica Stegrud. Stegrud's post concerned a debate about a Swedish cultural canon and involved individuals of Kurdish and Persian heritage. In his own X post, Siemiatkowski, who has Polish immigrant parents and identifies as Swedish, declared, "Let me throw myself into the debate about Swedishness. As someone born in Sundsvall and raised in Uppsala but with Polish immigrant parents…I am Swedish!" He further explained that his understanding of Swedishness transcends superficial expressions. Instead, he emphasized a high degree of trust in both people and authorities, coupled with an appreciation for simple pleasures. These include extended vacations and the enjoyment of basic country cottages. Siemiatkowski believes these fundamental aspects of Swedish identity are frequently overlooked in public discussions. He highlighted examples such as individuals swimming naked to archipelago cliffs and the collective act of dancing "Små grodorna" (The Little Frogs) around a maypole on Midsummer, describing these as genuinely beautiful and liberating expressions of this identity.