Who is Johan Ronnestam

Senior Business Advisor, Creative Director and Awarded Designer.

Who is Johan
Curriculum Vitae
Who is Johan Ronnestam?
Johan Ronnestam is a passionate surfer, global citizen, business developer, designer, future branding expert, creative director, TEDx speaker, innovator, and entrepreneur based in Stockholm, Sweden, who loves communication, ideas, and creativity.
Born in 1971 and raised in the stylish suburbs of Stockholm, creativity was always a part of his upbringing. With a background as a former professional snowboarder and one of the few individuals in the world to have landed a 1440° spin, he began his career in the purchasing sector.
While marketing high-end golf brands such as Mizuno, King Cobra, and Goldwin, he gained an understanding of the demands of both advertisers and consumers, as well as the complexities of getting products into stores.

Marketing golf brands

Driven by his passion for innovation, he transitioned to the creative side of business. The rise of the internet in Sweden drew him into the digital revolution in 1994. He left the sports industry and joined Delphi Economics, where he developed internet strategies and concepts for the financial sector. Some of his clients included Scandinavia Online, E-Trade, and Avanza.

Falling in love with the internet in 1994

In 1998, he joined Framfab, a rapidly growing company of the late '90s. As a concept developer and key account manager, he contributed to creating award-winning projects for clients like Vattenfall, Bredbandsbolaget, Nike Europe, and Volvo Cars. He also held a position within Framfab Innovation, the incubator for new ideas within Framfab.

In 2000, it was time to move on. He spent a year at Abel & Baker, the world's most awarded digital advertising company. During his time there, he played a role in winning the global account for adidas and worked with brands such as MTV, Nokia, Toyota, and the Red Cross.

Framtidsfabriken, moving on to Abel & Baker

He then founded his first company, Foreign, which rapidly grew to over 30 employees and received recognition in international advertising award shows such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, New York Festivals, London International Advertising Awards, Epica, Clio, Cresta, and others. They launched both digital and integrated global campaigns for BMW Motorrad, MTV, H&M, IKEA, Omega, Beckers, Com Hem, Intersport, Kosta Boda, adidas International, and many more.

Founding Foreign

With over 1,000 blog posts and over 150 speaking engagements per year, he established himself as one of Sweden's most sought-after speakers on trends, the future business landscape, and branding. He shared his expertise on creating effective communication for global brands while considering their future impact.In addition to speaking about communication, he continued to consult for leading brands globally.

Early influencer

His design expertise, creativity, and unique way of thinking made him highly sought after by brands across the world. Johan Ronnestam has consulted for brands such as Nike, adidas, BMW Motorrad, Omega, H&M, IKEA, Volvo Ocean Race, Kinnarps, Pfizer, Absolut Vodka, Suunto, Procter & Gamble, Nokia, and many others on a global scale. In Sweden, he has provided his services to Svenskt Tenn, Svedbergs, Fagerhult, ICA, Svenska Spel, Marginalen Bank, Fortum, Vattenfall, Stadium, Telia, and many others.

Leading brands into the future

Hire Johan as your Keynote Speaker

Inspire change,  creativity and innovation.

Johan Ronnestam is a highly appreciated, and awarded keynote speaker on the future business landscape, branding, creativity, innovation and entreprenurship.

Learn more about keynotes
Learn more about keynotes
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CV of Johan Ronnestam
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Client
Industry
Roles
Responsibility
Year
BAUX
Industry :
Interior Design
Delivery:
Certified Board Member
,
Co-Founder
,
Brand Strategy
,
Designer
,
Responsibility:
Serving on the BAUX Acoustics board, a company I initiated and co-founded, driving strategy and creative direction.
Year:
2010
2010
-
Ongoing
Destination Gotland
Industry :
Tourism
Delivery:
Senior Business Advisor
,
Responsibility:
Advisor on brand strategy, communication, marketing and e-commerce, supporting the organisation in strengthening its market position and customer experience.
Year:
2025
2025
-
Ongoing
Capasearch
Industry :
Recruitment
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Senior Business Advisor
,
Responsibility:
Working as an advisor to the management team
Year:
2022
2022
-
Ongoing
Cords
Industry :
Consumer Electronics
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Visual Identity System
,
Creative Direction
,
Responsibility:
Advised Cords on brand strategy and developed their visual identity — spanning photography, film and written tonality — to strengthen the brand’s premium, Scandinavian expression.
Year:
2025
2025
-
2025
Svedbergs Bathrooms
Industry :
Bathroom Furnitures
Delivery:
Product Development
,
Creative Direction
,
Responsibility:
Following the product-segmentation strategy I developed for Svedbergs, I led the creation of a full product prototype that showcased a complete range of future bathroom solutions — providing a clear direction for the company’s product development towards 2030.
Year:
2024
2024
-
2025
Henri Lloyd
Industry :
Fashion & Lifestyle
Delivery:
Keynote Speaker
,
Brand Strategy
,
Responsibility:
Workshop on Future Brand Communication in an AI-Driven Landscape
Year:
-
2025
Swegon
Industry :
Real Estate
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Responsibility:
Creative Brand Strategy, Prototyping the Future and Update of Visual Identity
Year:
2024
2024
-
2025
Svedbergs Bathrooms
Industry :
Bathroom Furnitures
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Event & Retail Concepts
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Product Development
,
Responsibility:
I’ve guided Svedbergs across brand strategy, creative direction, product development and exhibition design—building future-focused identities, frameworks and experiences that strengthen the brand and shape its long-term direction.
Year:
2020
2020
-
2025
Svenskt Tenn
Industry :
Luxury Goods
Delivery:
Senior Business Advisor
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Digital Strategy
,
Responsibility:
As Svenskt Tenn was navigating rapid shifts in global commerce and digital behaviour, I was brought in to analyse the business and define a strategic roadmap for future development. Working closely with the management team and the Board of Directors, I evaluated the company’s market position, brand and communication, and outlined how the business should evolve to remain competitive in a changing luxury-retail landscape.
Year:
2020
2020
-
2024
Seve Ballesteros Foundation
Industry :
Golf
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Designer
,
Responsibility:
I shaped a timeless brand platform for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, honouring Seve’s legacy through strategic positioning and visual identity.
Year:
2022
2022
-
2023
Bluebird Media
Industry :
Growth Marketing
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Visual Identity System
,
Responsibility:
Repositioned Scandinavia’s leading data-driven marketing agencies with a forward-leaning brand platform and visual direction.
Year:
2021
2021
-
2022
Marginalen Bank
Industry :
Finance
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Digital Strategy
,
Senior Business Advisor
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Responsibility:
Marginalen Bank was founded in 2010. I was contracted to develop the brand platform, visual identity, advise on strategy, create their digital presence. For 11 years I acted as their creative director and supported the management team and board of directors.
Year:
2010
2010
-
2021
Vasakronan
Industry :
Real Estate
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Digital Strategy
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Senior Business Advisor
,
Responsibility:
Served as a long-term strategic and creative advisor, guiding the evolution of their digital brand presence and helping cement Vasakronan’s position as Sweden’s leading property company.
Year:
2010
2010
-
2019
Kinnarps
Industry :
Interior Design
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Digital Strategy
,
Event & Retail Concepts
,
Visual Identity System
,
Responsibility:
Delivered a comprehensive transformation of the Kinnarps brand — shaping strategy, visual identity, visual tonality, their new global online presence, full brand implementation, and the design of major experiential events.
Year:
2015
2015
-
2018
Volvo Ocean Race
Industry :
Sports
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Visual Identity System
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Responsibility:
Shaped the global creative direction for the Volvo Ocean Race, delivering the communication platform, digital and content strategies, overarching communication concept, and senior advisory to the management team.
Year:
2013
2013
-
2015
Jajdo
Industry :
Internet technology
Delivery:
Co-Founder
,
Creative Direction
,
Project Management
,
Responsibility:
I co-founded Jajdo with Andreas Wålm and Jonas Theder, aiming to reinvent mobile experiences for children. We anticipated the rise of larger phones and tablets, and our apps regularly reached the global top-25 lists in the Children category. Jajdo created playful spelling and history games that made learning engaging and accessible for young users.
Year:
2009
2009
-
2013
ProViva Functional Drinks
Industry :
FMCG
Delivery:
Creative Direction
,
Digital Strategy
,
Visual Identity System
,
Responsibility:
Tasked with creating a content strategy that continuously fuelled social media with relevant, health-driven stories built around the brand’s core values.
Year:
2012
2012
-
2013
Compricer
Industry :
Digital Services
Delivery:
Certified Board Member
,
Responsibility:
Served board member at Compricer, playing a key role in shaping the company’s strategic direction and supporting its rapid growth within the fintech sector.
Year:
2007
2007
-
2013
Pfizer
Industry :
Medical
Delivery:
Creative Direction
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Senior Business Advisor
,
Brand Strategy
,
Responsibility:
Consulted by Pfizer to drive a series of digital initiatives, including digital advertising, website development, social media strategy, content creation, communication concepts and innovation projects.
Year:
2008
2008
-
2010
Swedbank
Industry :
Finance
Delivery:
Digital Strategy
,
Senior Business Advisor
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Responsibility:
I was contracted by Swedbank to lead a strategic assignment accelerating the bank’s shift towards mobile at a time when no mobile services existed. I created the customer-first roadmap that became the foundation for Swedbank’s future mobile ecosystem, identifying key priorities across products, services and customer experience.
Year:
-
2010
Stockholm University
Industry :
Education & Universities
Delivery:
Certified Board Member
,
Responsibility:
Served on the board of GI-IHR at Stockholm Business School, providing strategic guidance to one of Sweden’s foremost institutions for higher education in advertising and communication.
Year:
2006
2006
-
2010
Adidas
Industry :
Furniture Industry
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Responsibility:
I led the innovation of adidas’ international communication initiatives, shaping creative development and elevating brand expression across 28 countries.
Year:
2000
2000
-
2008
Foreign Advertising
Industry :
Advertising
Delivery:
CEO
,
Creative Direction
,
Co-Founder
,
Certified Board Member
,
Responsibility:
I founded Foreign together with Victoria Wallner and served as CEO for the first four years while also leading the creative direction, taking the agency from an ambitious start-up to a Swedish Gazelle in record time. We grew to more than 40 employees and worked across digital and traditional advertising, digital concepts, brand strategies and innovation projects for a wide range of global and Swedish brands, including adidas International, BMW Motorrad, Red Bull, Omega International, SWATCH, IKEA, H&M, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Absolut Vodka, Suunto and many leading Swedish companies. Our work gained international recognition, including wins in Cannes and several other major global awards. Foreign became known for merging design, technology and culture — delivering strategic and creative solutions that pushed boundaries and helped define the evolution of modern brand communication.
Year:
2000
2000
-
2007
Framtidsfabriken
Industry :
Internet technology
Delivery:
Creative Direction
,
Project Management
,
Digital Strategy
,
Digital Transformation
,
Technology & Commerce
,
Responsibility:
At Framtidsfabriken—one of the world’s fastest-growing companies at the time—I worked primarily with Vattenfall, Nike Europe, and Bredbandsbolaget, while contributing to a range of innovation projects. My role centred on advancing digital possibilities and helping major brands navigate the emerging Internet landscape.
Year:
1998
1998
-
2000
Nike
Industry :
Fashion & Lifestyle
Delivery:
Creative Direction
,
Project Management
,
Responsibility:
In my role as a project manager and digital strategist at Framfab, I proactively approached Nike Europe, which led to the agency winning the nikefootball.com and nikewomen.com assignments.
Year:
1998
1998
-
2000
Vattenfall Energy
Industry :
Energy & Climate
Delivery:
Brand Strategy
,
Creative Direction
,
Digital Strategy
,
Responsibility:
I led digital strategy, developed campaign and corporate web projects, and created visualisations that made their energy operations easier to understand.
Year:
1998
1998
-
2000
Delphi Economics
Industry :
Finance
Delivery:
Technology & Commerce
,
Digital Strategy
,
Digital Transformation
,
Responsibility:
Working with Delphi Economics, I helped develop early digital concepts for Vikingen Technical Analysis, bringing its approach to stock-market technical analysis into an online environment. The work focused on rethinking how users could access data, interpret trends, and apply insights through the emerging possibilities of the Internet.
Year:
1996
1996
-
1997
Scandinavia Online
Industry :
Finance
Delivery:
Digital Strategy
,
Designer
,
Responsibility:
In the early days of the Internet, I created a new interface for how consumers could interact with stock market data. The design concept was later adopted by Avanza and became the foundation of the dashboard their clients used for the next 30 years.
Year:
-
1997
No CV's found!
Rene Bretschneider
Global Project Manager, Adidas International
"Johan always provided an excellent view on our business through the perspective of our key consumers. The creative solutions he developed for our brand campaigns were top of class, innovative, and truly out-of-the-box solutions."
Javier Ballesteros
Seve Ballesteros Foundation
"Collaborating with Johan Ronnestam has been instrumental in capturing the essence of Seve's legacy. The new brand identity not only honors his memory but also positions the foundation to inspire future generations."
Caroline Karlström
Head of Marketing, Lundhags
"The 'Mad About Nature' platform authentically reflects Lundhags' dedication to the environment and craftsmanship. Ronnestam Creative Studio's holistic approach has revitalized our brand, making it resonate deeply with our community."
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FAQ
What’s your process for developing a brand strategy?
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We start with deep research—market, audience, competitors, and internal culture. From there, we define positioning, purpose, personality, and strategic narratives that guide everything from design to communication.
How do you balance creativity and business goals?
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By aligning every idea with strategic intent. Great creativity doesn’t just look good—it performs. We ensure our creative work supports your business objectives and drives measurable outcomes.
Do you work with in-house teams or other agencies?
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Yes. We often collaborate with internal teams, other agencies, or specialists. We can lead, co-create, or plug into existing setups—whatever fits best.
How do you structure a typical project?
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Most projects follow a phased approach: discovery, strategy, concept, execution, and refinement. We collaborate closely at every stage, always adapting to your team’s way of working.
How do you approach sustainable branding and design?
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We consider materials, digital carbon footprint, longevity of design, and inclusive storytelling. Our goal is to create work that’s both responsible and resonant.
Do you integrate AI or new tech in your process?
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Yes. We actively explore and apply AI, automation, and emerging tools—always when it serves creativity, efficiency, or innovation.
Can we start small and scale later?
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Absolutely. Some of our best relationships started with a single project. We're flexible in scope, while still thinking long-term.
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General enquiries
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johan@ronnestam.com
Linked In
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Ronnestam @ LinkedIn
Address
St Eriksplan 3
113 21 Stockholm
Sweden
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