In a 2018 interview at Paradox Interactive’s PDXCON, newly appointed CEO Ebba Ljungerud described a leadership challenge: help the game publisher grow without losing the close-knit culture and unusually direct relationship with its fans. She also discussed communication, project decisions and release quality—and, more lightly, karaoke.
This is a historical profile, not a current CEO update. Ljungerud took over on August 1, 2018, and left the role effective September 1, 2021. Paradox’s 2026 materials identify Fredrik Wester as CEO.
When did Ebba Ljungerud become Paradox CEO?
Ljungerud said she formally took over from Fredrik Wester on August 1, 2018. She had served on Paradox’s board and worked in the gambling industry since 2007, most recently at Kindred Group. GamesBeat’s interview described her Kindred role as chief operating officer; Paradox’s earlier appointment announcement called her Chief Commercial Officer. Those are the sources’ descriptions at different points, rather than a single consistent title.
The GamesBeat conversation took place at PDXCON, which the reporter described as Paradox’s second public convention. The scene included booths, panels, musical performances and attendees in World War II and medieval costumes. The reporter estimated that around 1,000 people attended; that is a reported estimate for the 2018 event, not an annual attendance figure.
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How did she view Paradox’s fans?
Fan engagement was central to Ljungerud’s account of the company. At the convention, she saw attendees approach developers with detailed questions. She described the fans as “incredibly passionate. And knowledgeable!” The interview also points to the company’s contact with players through streams, videos, Twitter, forums and in-person events.
Her goal was not simply to preserve a marketing channel. She wanted fan input to remain part of how the company understood its games while Paradox expanded. The interview captures her intentions in 2018; it does not establish how consistently those intentions were carried out afterward.
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What did Ljungerud want to change?
She said she did not want to arrive and impose immediate changes. She expected the company to change as it grew, but wanted that change to have structure and to develop from within the organization. Her stated priority was to grow while keeping the culture that made Paradox distinctive: “I want to make sure we manage to grow but also keep the culture of the company.”
She also wanted more consistent use of English across departments at the Stockholm-based company, so employees who did not speak Swedish would not feel isolated. That, too, was an expressed aim, not evidence that the language issue was later resolved.
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How did she approach growth and game projects?
The interview portrays Paradox as having expanded from a small niche publisher into a company able to host an international convention. Ljungerud called growth and the changes around the company’s IPO exciting, while emphasizing the need to protect its culture.
She also spoke about becoming more selective about projects and being more willing to stop work on a game that was unlikely to succeed. The reporter cited East vs. West, a Cold War-themed Hearts of Iron spinoff that was cancelled after investment but never released, as an example of the cost of a project that does not make it to launch.
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When is a game ready to release?
Ljungerud raised a difficult management question: how to decide when a game is ready. The 2018 article says development cycles, quality assurance and teams had grown since Crusader Kings 2, while concerns about release quality remained. The interview presents this as a challenge facing Paradox at that time, not a description of the company’s current development or QA practices.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did the interview mention karaoke?
Karaoke was part of the PDXCON program and the informal company atmosphere described in the story. Ljungerud said she enjoyed it. The reporter also noted that former CEO Wester was known for performing System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” It is a memorable convention anecdote, not proof that karaoke was a universal employee ritual.
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Which games had Ljungerud played?
She recalled playing SimCity as a child and later trying Cities: Skylines, where she initially struggled to keep the residents alive. She had also watched tutorials for Stellaris and described it as a substantial undertaking. These are personal references in the interview, not reviews or recommendations.
What happened after the interview?
Ljungerud left the CEO position effective September 1, 2021. Paradox’s official materials in 2026 identify Fredrik Wester as CEO. The interview is therefore best read as a snapshot of her priorities at the start of her tenure: preserve fan contact and company culture while managing growth, communication and the risks of making games.
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