SEB names deputy Jonas Ahlström acting CEO after Johan Torgeby resigns
SEB's board named deputy CEO Jonas Ahlström acting chief executive after Johan Torgeby resigned on 6 October 2026, and started a search for a permanent successor.
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) said on 6 October 2026 that its president and chief executive, Johan Torgeby, had resigned for personal and family reasons. He left the role and his seat on the board the same day. The board named Deputy President and CEO Jonas Ahlström as acting president and CEO and began a search for a permanent successor.
The acting appointment is subject to regulatory approvals. As of 10 October 2026, the sources reviewed for this report did not say whether that approval had been granted, and the bank has not given a timeline for the search.
What the board said and who takes over
Torgeby joined SEB in 2009 and had led the bank for almost ten years. He previously co-headed the bank's former Large Corporates & Financial Institutions division. Board chair Marcus Wallenberg said the board respects the decision and thanked Torgeby for his contributions. Wallenberg said that under Torgeby the bank strengthened its position and created long-term value for customers, shareholders and society.
In his own statement, Torgeby described his time at SEB as inspiring, especially working closely with customers. He said the bank is well positioned for coming challenges and opportunities, and that he is proud of what it has achieved.
Ahlström has worked at SEB since 2005 and has been on the Group Executive Committee since 2020. The announcement did not name a candidate for the permanent role, and the sources reviewed do not name any outside candidates. The bank describes the role as acting.
What the Swedish regulator reviews
A 2025 guide to Swedish banking regulation by Chambers says a bank must file a suitability application with the Swedish financial regulator (SFSA) when it appoints or changes its managing director or deputy managing director. The deputy managing director is the person who stands in for the managing director. The filing covers the person's employment history, CV, qualifying ownership, relations and interests, and reputation.
The same guide says suitability applications are also required for the chairman of the board, board members and alternate board members.
The regulator collects information from the Swedish Police, the Companies Registration Office, the Tax Agency, the Enforcement Authority and credit-assessment firms. According to the guide, a decision is due within 60 working days if the application is complete and a SEK 16,800 fee has been paid. The guide also says that whenever the board changes, a company must assess whether the board as a whole has the knowledge and experience it needs to manage the company.
The guide passage saved for this report does not describe interim appointments, so the sources reviewed do not establish how an acting role works before approval. The figures come from a secondary guide, not the regulator's own text.
What SEB and the market reported on 6 October
SEB's press office says the decision does not change the bank's strategy or targets. Petter Brunnberg, Head of Press and Media Relations, made the statement in a written comment to Nyhetsbyrån Direkt, and described the reasons as personal and family-related. The Nyhetsbyrån Direkt report is timed 16:17 on 6 October.
The sources differ on the size of the share move. Börsvärlden reported that SEB shares fell 1.0% on 6 October, but the article does not say whether that is a closing or intraday figure. Placera's report of the comment says SEB shares fell 1.7% after the announcement. The same Börsvärlden article says the OMXS30 index closed up 0.78% that day at 3,282.94, following international markets.
“SEB's press office says the decision does not change the bank's strategy or targets.”
What remains open after the announcement
Several points are not settled in the sources reviewed. No date for the regulator's decision on Ahlström's approval has been reported. The board has given no timeline for naming a permanent chief executive, and no candidate has been named.
SEB's third-quarter interim report is due on 22 October 2026, just over two weeks after the announcement. The SEB release lists Pawel Wyszynski, Head of Investor Relations, as a contact.
The sources describe each step, from the acting appointment to the search and the regulatory filing, only in general terms. The timing of each therefore remains unconfirmed.
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