Swedish architecture firm White Arkitekter has announced that Alexandra Hagen will step down as CEO in 2026.
Hagen will continue in her role for the next six months, during which time her successor is expected to be chosen. The company has already begun the recruitment process.
This decision coincides with the lead-up to White Arkitekter’s upcoming strategic period, with the firm aiming for “a new CEO to be involved from the outset,” according to board chair Niklas Flyborg.
“The current strategy period runs until the end of 2026, and over the coming year, we will set the strategy for the next four-year period – that is how the company works,” Flyborg told Dezeen.
“It is therefore natural to review the CEO role now. We want a new CEO to be involved from the outset and have initiated a recruitment process,” he added.
Hagen expanded White Arkitekter’s international presence
Hagen became CEO of White Arkitekter in 2018. Before that, she held several leadership roles within the company, including head of the Malmö office, which comprises 90 staff, and international director for business development in the UK.
Her career at White Arkitekter began in 2001, starting as a junior architect after graduating from Chalmers University of Technology, and she steadily rose through the organization.
Flyborg described Hagen’s leadership as “characterised by commitment and professionalism,” crediting her for guiding the firm’s international growth.
“Alexandra’s leadership has been characterised by commitment, professionalism, and significant contributions to the company’s development,” said Flyborg.
“During her time as CEO, Alexandra has led White Arkitekter through both strong and more challenging periods – including the pandemic years and the current economic downturn – while still enabling us to expand our international presence,” he continued.
“Under her leadership, we have opened our studio in Stuttgart and continued to grow and strengthen our presence in the UK.”
Additionally, Hagen made sustainable development a core value of the practice, most notably through the commitment that every building designed by the firm will be carbon-neutral by 2030.
“During her time as CEO, Alexandra has contributed to strengthening our international presence and driving forward a number of significant and award-winning projects, always with sustainability as the driving force,” said Flyborg.
“For example, 84 per cent of our projects in 2024 were linked to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
White Arkitekter seeking new CEO with external support
The recruitment process for Hagen’s successor is ongoing, with the company considering both internal and external candidates and collaborating with an external recruitment agency.
However, Flyborg noted that “White Arkitekter has a tradition of appointing CEOs internally.”
No information has been shared yet regarding Hagen’s future plans.
Founded in 1951 in Gothenburg by Sidney White, White Arkitekter is one of Scandinavia’s leading architectural firms, with offices across the globe including in London, East Africa, and Canada.
Recently, the studio unveiled plans for The Erven, a timber housing project in the Netherlands, and completed a sculptural water tower described as being built to last for centuries.
Earlier this year, its Sara Kulturhus – one of the world’s tallest timber buildings – was named the most significant building of 2021 by Dezeen.
Main photo by Camilla Svensk.
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