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.

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Brand I've worked with

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."

Who is Johan Ronnestam Curriculum Vitae

2024

2025

2007

2013

Compricer

Swegon Brand Repositioning

Board Member Compricer

Johan Ronnestam led the development of Swegon’s brand strategy and visual identity at a pivotal stage in the company’s growth. Tasked with expanding Swegon’s target audience beyond traditional installers, Johan repositioned the brand to engage financial investors, architects, and other key decision-makers. His work included shaping a new brand platform, crafting purpose-driven messaging, and creating a refreshed visual identity that communicated Swegon’s commitment to innovation, wellbeing, and sustainability.

Johan Ronnestam served as a board member at Compricer, playing a key role in shaping the company’s strategic direction and supporting its rapid growth within the fintech sector. During his tenure, Compricer achieved a turnover exceeding 128 million SEK with a profit margin of 22%. Johan contributed to the successful sale of Compricer to Schibsted, marking a significant milestone in the company’s development.

FAQ

Hur ser din process ut för att utveckla en varumärkesstrategi?

Jag börjar alltid med djup research – er marknad, målgrupp, konkurrenter och interna kultur. Därifrån definierar jag positionering, syfte, personlighet och strategiska berättelser som vägleder allt från design till kommunikation.

Hur balanserar du kreativitet och affärsmål?

Jag ser till att varje idé är strategiskt förankrad. För mig handlar kreativitet inte bara om att det ska se bra ut – det ska skapa resultat. Det jag skapar syftar alltid till att stärka era affärsmål och driva mätbar effekt.

Samarbetar du med interna team eller andra byråer?

Ja, ofta. Jag kliver gärna in och samarbetar med ert interna team, externa partners eller andra specialister. Jag kan leda, co-creata eller komplettera beroende på vad som passar er bäst.

Hur strukturerar du ett typiskt projekt?

De flesta projekt följer en fasindelad process: insiktsarbete, strategi, koncept, genomförande och förfining. Jag jobbar nära er i varje steg och anpassar alltid arbetssättet efter hur ni fungerar som team.

Hur arbetar du med hållbar varumärkesutveckling och design?

Jag tar hänsyn till materialval, digitalt klimatavtryck, designens livslängd och inkluderande berättelser. Målet är alltid att skapa något som är både relevant och ansvarstagande – för er, era kunder och framtiden.

Integrerar du AI eller ny teknik i din process?

Vi håller oss alltid uppdaterade kring det senaste inom AI, automatisering och digital innovation. Genom att utforska och integrera nya verktyg tidigt kan vi inte bara skapa smartare lösningar för våra kunder, utan också driva utvecklingen framåt. Det handlar inte om att följa trender – det handlar om att forma framtiden.

Kan vi börja i liten skala och låta projektet växa efter behov?

Absolut. Flera av mina bästa samarbeten har börjat med ett mindre projekt. Jag är flexibel i omfattning – men tänker alltid långsiktigt tillsammans med er.

Vem är Johan Ronnestam

Senior affärsrådgivare, creative director och prisbelönt designer.