Scale 1–5
Technology Leadership 5/5
Profile
Senior technology leader and systems architect with more than three decades of experience building distributed, fault-tolerant systems. Former CTO and Chief Scientist at Klarna, PhD in Computer Science from Uppsala University, author of The BEAM Book, and advisor to organizations working with fintech, platform engineering, digital identity, connected vehicles, blockchain, and AI-assisted software development.
Experience
SEB Financing
2026-05 - Present
Engineering Lead / Senior Advisor
Leads the technical and process scaling of Spec-Driven Development and agentic AI-assisted software delivery within SEB Financing via Brightshift.
-
Shapes governance-aware development workflows, compliance integration, and AI-supported specification processes for a regulated financial environment.
-
Works on architecture, toolchain design, and compliance-aware development patterns for large-scale enterprise and SAFe-based organizations.
Ignite Next
2026-03 - Present
Mentor
Mentors early-stage founders on technology strategy, architecture, scaling, product clarity, and technical decision-making.
-
Supports founders in clarifying product direction and technical priorities.
-
Advises on architecture decisions that affect early scaling and team shape.
Happi Hacking AB
2023-08 - Present
CEO and C-Level Advisor
2012-11 - 2023-08
CEO and Founder
Founded and leads a consultancy focused on robust software systems, technology advisory, platform architecture, and product development for clients in fintech, e-commerce, blockchain, telecom, and regulated environments.
-
Advises executives and technical leaders on technology roadmaps, architecture, team structure, hiring strategy, IT governance, risk, and digital transformation.
-
Designed GDPR-aware event and IoT platforms handling more than 1 billion daily events for Deutsche Telekom.
-
Developed AI-assisted software development workflows and agentic architectures with emphasis on traceability, governance, and production use.
-
Author of The BEAM Book, a technical reference on Erlang VM and BEAM internals.
Redcare Pharmacy
2024-03 - Present
Coach for Architects
Coaches architects and senior engineers on platform design, backend reliability, scalability, and payment-flow modernization in a regulated pharmacy and e-commerce environment.
-
Guides architectural decisions around reliability, compliance, maintainability, service boundaries, observability, and asynchronous workflows.
-
Supports modernization of payment and refund flows, including AI-assisted case handling and workflow automation.
Vexilla AB
2013-07 - Present
Founder
Founded investment and business consultancy company focused on portfolio management and business advisory.
- Reviews investment opportunities and supports portfolio and business decisions.
Apuliens Smak AB
2016-07 - Present
Chairman of the Board
2013-08 - 2016-07
Board Member
Board work and strategy for an Italian and Swedish food import company.
- Sets strategy and supports business development as chairman of the board.
Kindio
2024-01 - Present
CEO and Founder
2022-09 - Present
Chairman of the Board
2022-10 - 2024-09
CTO
Founded and led a startup from technical concept through architecture, product direction, governance, and company building.
-
Led product, architecture, and technical execution as founder, CEO, board chair, and CTO.
-
Worked on scalable backend architecture and regulated infrastructure concerns.
Kivra
2026-03 - 2026-03
Advisor to the CTO
2025-12 - 2026-02
(Interim) Director of Platform Engineering
Supported and developed Kivra's platform engineering organization across architecture, reliability, developer experience, operations, and strategy on a BEAM-heavy stack.
-
Coached engineering managers and tech leads on ownership, operational stability, observability, and predictable delivery.
-
Worked with the CTO and engineering organization on platform strategy, infrastructure modernization, and key architectural decisions across Erlang, Elixir, Go, Kubernetes, and GCP.
Aeternity Foundation
2023-10 - 2025-04
Core Team Lead
2017 - 2019
Core Team Lead / Architect
Led and designed BEAM-based blockchain core infrastructure, including FATE, a safer virtual machine for smart contracts.
-
Designed and implemented FATE for efficient and verifiable smart-contract execution.
-
Worked on distributed systems, robustness, throughput, protocol design, and blockchain runtime architecture.
Scania Sverige / TRATON Group
2023-11 - 2024-09
Chief Engineer, Offboard Platform and Connectivity Domain
2023-06 - 2023-10
Cloud Architect
Worked on a unified vehicle-to-cloud connectivity platform for TRATON brands, covering data exchange, integration, diagnostics, OTA updates, and smart-fleet foundations.
-
Coordinated technical strategy and architecture across brands with different systems, needs, and histories.
-
Defined secure, scalable cloud infrastructure for vehicle connectivity and fleet data.
Sika Health
2022-01 - 2023-01
Technical Advisor
Advised Sika Health on building a payment service for FSA/HSA, including technology choices, engineering process, technical hiring, and development priorities.
-
Helped ensure the right system parts were built in the right order.
-
Vetted and interviewed potential technical hires.
Laya Technologies
2021-07 - 2022-11
Interim Chief Technology Officer
Served as interim CTO for a Munich technology company, supporting technology strategy, architecture, cloud systems, and engineering leadership.
- Led technical direction across architecture, cloud, backend systems, and engineering practices.
SambaNova Systems
2022 - 2022
C++ Developer, AI Compiler Infrastructure
Worked on AI compiler and runtime infrastructure, model integration, and CMake-based CI build systems.
-
Optimized ML workloads and contributed to compiler and runtime toolchains.
-
Worked with Python, C++, LLVM, MLIR, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and CMake.
HappiStudios AB
2015-12 - 2021-12
CEO
Led product and technical work around online strategy board games and game-related software.
-
Built Straboga, a platform for strategy board games playable in the browser and in real life.
-
Worked on backend systems, APIs, rules engines, databases, and game-solving algorithms.
Doorling
2015-08 - 2020-06
Founding Partner, Chairman of the Board
Co-founded and chaired a real-estate service company from idea stage to App Store launch.
-
Supported company growth, product development, and technical direction for a real-estate service platform.
-
Worked with AI-assisted matching between customers and real-estate agents.
Deutsche Telekom
2019 - 2022
Architect / Technical Lead
Designed and built large-scale IoT, digital-twin, and communication platforms with GDPR, event-flow, and operational requirements.
-
Designed an event platform capable of more than 1 billion daily events.
-
Worked with Erlang, Java, Kafka, RabbitMQ, MQTT, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, PostgreSQL, GitLab, WebRTC, and CDN infrastructure.
Delta Exchange
2021 - 2022
Architecture Advisor / Educator
Reviewed architecture for a high-transaction cryptocurrency exchange and taught concurrent programming with Erlang and Elixir.
- Focused on throughput, latency, performance, architecture review, and robust BEAM design.
Finoa
2021 - 2021
Migration Assessment Advisor
Assessed migration from in-memory ObjectStore to PostgreSQL for a crypto custodian.
- Reviewed database models, schema reliability, and migration risks for security-sensitive financial infrastructure.
Kayamo Group Ltd
2021 - 2021
Due Diligence Analyst
Analyzed architecture, data models, and code for a Philippine bank.
- Reviewed PHP-based systems as part of technical due diligence.
TidyApp
2020 - 2021
Due Diligence Analyst
Analyzed architecture, data models, and code for a technical due diligence assignment.
- Reviewed Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, PostgreSQL, Git, and GitLab based delivery setup.
Klarna AB
2010-09 - 2014-03
Chief Scientist
2005-11 - 2010-09
Chief Technology Officer
First CTO and later Chief Scientist at Klarna. Built the engineering organization and technical foundation for an internet-scale payment system during rapid international growth.
-
Scaled engineering from 1 to about 80 people.
-
Led development and operation of a 24/7 payment system with high requirements on availability, robustness, performance, risk assessment, reporting, and regulatory compliance.
-
Led scalability and stability work for Klarna Online and spread Erlang and scalable development practices internally and externally.
EJDA
1989-10 - 2013
Founder
Founded and ran EJDA as a consultancy and training company from 1989 to 2013, delivering software development, x86 assembler training, and Microsoft Excel and Word training.
-
Delivered training in x86 assembler, programming, Excel, and Word.
-
Built a group accounting system in Excel for the Norrfrys group.
-
Built the animatronics puppet show KGB-1917 for Haparanda Stadshotell.
-
Worked across software development, consulting, education, systems architecture, and game development.
Virtutech AB
2004-08 - 2005-10
Developer
Worked on low-level C programming and performance tuning for Simics, a full-system simulator.
- Optimized simulator performance and correctness for enterprise use cases.
EPFL
2003-02 - 2004-07
Researcher
Researcher working with Martin Odersky on compiler technology and the early Scala language. Project manager for Scala 1.0 and teacher in advanced compiler courses.
- Managed the Scala 1.0 release and taught advanced compiler technology.
Uppsala University
1997 - 2002
PhD Student
Worked on native code compilation, performance measurements, register allocation, garbage collection, Jerico, and HiPE for Erlang.
-
Wrote Jerico, the first native code compiler for Erlang.
-
Built the first version of HiPE, the second native code compiler for Erlang, later included in Erlang/OTP.
Sorgente Konsult AB
1995-06 - 1995-08
Summer Intern
Software developer working with Visual Basic and SQL.
- Developed software with Visual Basic and SQL.
Ericsson
1994-07 - 1994-08
Summer Intern
Ported production measurement and control software from old HP and Commodore 64 computers to PC.
- Worked on software development for production hardware measurement and control.
Profitch
2020 - Present
Founder
Founded holding company for investments.
- Works with investments and ownership structure.
CABACO
2016 - Present
Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the board for Carvutto & Barattini & Company, a food and wine import and distribution company.
- Supports governance, strategy, and board work.
Team Mejeri AB / Fragsta Mejeri
2018 - Present
Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the board for an artisan cheese dairy under the Fragsta Mejeri brand.
- Supports governance, strategy, and board work.
Selected Projects
Scala 1.0
2003-02 - 2004-07
The first public release of the Scala programming language, a statically typed language combining object orientation and functional programming.
HiPE
1996-06 - 2002-12
The second native code compiler for Erlang, later part of Erlang/OTP.
Jerico
1995-08 - 1996-05
The first native code compiler for Erlang, based on JAM.
The BEAM Book
2013 - Present
A technical reference on the Erlang runtime system and BEAM internals.
Straboga
2015 - 2021
Strategy board games for online play in the browser and in real life.
Norrfrys Group Accounting System
1989 - 2013
A group accounting system built in Microsoft Excel for the Norrfrys group.
KGB-1917 Animatronics Puppet Show
1989 - 2013
An animatronics puppet show built for Haparanda Stadshotell.
FATE and Aeternity Core
2017 - 2019
A safer and more efficient virtual machine for smart contracts and BEAM-based blockchain core infrastructure.
Taba Mobile Game
2021 - Present
Mobile puzzle game where Erik helped the team deliver the product and wrote the puzzle solver in C.
Education
Uppsala University
1997 - 2002
Doctor of Philosophy, Computer Science
PhD research on native code compilation and optimization for Erlang, including Jerico, HiPE, register allocation, performance measurement, and garbage collection.
Uppsala University
1992 - 1997
Master of Science, Computer Science
Computer science studies with focus on systems programming, compiler technology, algorithms, logic, operating systems, computer architecture, databases, networks, and software engineering.
Tornedalsskolan
1986 - 1990
Natural Sciences
John W. North High School
1987 - 1988
High School Exchange Studies
Courses
-
Abstract Algebra DV1
-
Algebra DV1
-
Algorithms and Data Structures DV2
-
Algorithms and Datastructures DV1
-
Analysis of Computer Algorithms DV1
-
Applied Linear Algebra DV1
-
Artificial Intelligence DV1
-
Automata Theory DV1
-
Compiler Design DV1
-
Compiler Technique DV2
-
Computer Architecture DV1
-
Computer Graphics DV1
-
Computer Law
-
Computer Networks DV1
-
Database Design DV1
-
Degree Project DV3
-
Digital Electronics DM1
-
History of Science and Ideas DV1
-
Human Interaction with Computers in Work DV1
-
Logic DV1
-
Logic MN2
-
Logic Programming DV1
-
Mathematical Analysis DV1
-
Methods of Programming DV1
-
Methods of Programming DV2
-
Numerical Methods DV1
-
Object-Oriented Programming DV1
-
Operating Systems DV1
-
Programming Theory DV1
-
Reactive Systems DV1
-
Semantics for Programs and Machines DV1
-
Software Systems DV1
-
Software Technology DV1
-
Written Proficiency
Publications
-
Erik's Conference Talks, YouTube, 2025-03-22. Curated collection of conference talks and presentations on Erlang, BEAM, fintech, scalable systems, Klarna, VM internals, reliability, and high-performance software.
-
The BEAM Book, Self Published on GitHub, 2025-03-22. A deep dive into the Erlang runtime system.
-
An introduction to Scala, 2005-01-01. Publication introducing the Scala programming language.
-
An overview of the Scala programming language, 2004-01-01. Overview of the Scala programming language.
-
The Scala language specification, 2004-01-01. Language specification for Scala.
-
Efficient Implementation of Concurrent Programming Languages, Uppsala University, 2002-01-01. PhD thesis on native code compilation and efficient implementation of concurrent languages.
-
Performance Measurements and Process Optimization for Erlang, Uppsala University, 1999-01-01. Licentiate thesis on low-level CPU performance counters for Erlang performance measurement and process communication optimization.
-
Native Code Compilation for Erlang, Uppsala University, 1996-01-01. Master's thesis on native code compilation for Erlang.
Contact
happi@happihacking.se | +46 735 04 74 42 | https://happihacking.com | LinkedIn