On April 3rd, industry leaders and experts will gather at DI Cybersecurity 2025 to discuss how we can address an increasingly complex threat landscape. HiQ will be present as a premium partner, and our Business Area Manager, Pernilla Rönn, will participate to share insights on how companies and organizations can prepare for the future. Will we see you there?

As cyber threats evolve, security strategies must shift from reactive to proactive. How can we prepare for emerging threats? What measures are needed to combine innovation with robust security? During the session Future Cybersecurity Strategies, Pernilla Rönn will discuss these questions alongside experts from Svenska Kraftnät, RISE, and Kyndryl. Together, they will highlight the most critical challenges and strategies for building a long-term and sustainable cybersecurity framework.

As a premium partner of Dagens Industri, we are proud to be part of this important discussion and contribute to strengthening cybersecurity in both the private and public sectors.

Date: April 3, 2025
Location: DI Cybersecurity 2025, Stockholm
Read more about the event here: DI Cybersecurity 2025

We look forward to inspiring discussions and valuable insights on how we can work together to create a safer digital future!

HiQ West has appointed Malin Ekwall as the new Sales Manager. Malin Ekwall has extensive experience in the consulting industry and most recently comes from the Randstad Group. She will now be responsible for leading sales efforts in a region where HiQ has long been a strong player in digital innovation, transformation, and pioneering technical solutions.

Malin Ekwall has an impressive track record in the Swedish consulting industry, including roles such as Director at Randstad Technologies, Sales Director at Randstad Digital, and Sales Manager at Dfind IT.

“I look forward to joining HiQ and, together with my new colleagues and customers, further strengthening West Sweden’s competitiveness,” says Malin. “It is a dynamic region with a strong technological tradition and an impressive capacity for innovation. I see great opportunities in the rapid digital transformation within both the private and public sectors.”

In addition to her role as Sales Manager, Malin Ekwall will also join HiQ West’s management team. Regional Manager Dan Jonsson is very positive about the new addition:

“We are very pleased to welcome Malin to our team. Her understanding of the technological landscape, combined with her commitment to innovation and navigating the rapid digital transformation, will be invaluable in our efforts to create even greater value for our customers.”

The HiQ operations in Sweden are divided into five regions, with the West region holding a prominent position characterized by strong innovation – developing autonomous self-driving vehicles as well as business-critical personnel systems for the global aviation industry and world-class digital-physical brand experiences.

HiQ is strengthening its focus on business-oriented artificial intelligence, prioritizing AI solutions that directly support and enhance customers' core operations. AI expert Sofie Perslow, with a solid background in tech-driven business development and leadership roles at Aller Media and ICA, has been hired to lead this strategic initiative.

HiQ aims to be a leading partner in AI, with a special emphasis on advanced, tailored AI solutions that meet customers’ business needs in an ever-changing digital world. With Sofie Perslow at the helm, HiQ is enhancing its capabilities in the field.

“We work with many clients facing the challenge of transforming AI’s potential into tangible execution that delivers real value. Sofie’s deep understanding of both technology and business makes her the perfect leader for our business-focused AI offering, and we’re excited to strengthen our support for clients even further with her onboard,” says Samuel Skott, CEO of HiQ.

Sofie Perslow brings extensive experience in turning complex technical concepts into concrete business advantages, building data-driven organizations, and implementing AI solutions to optimize operations and drive business value.

“Leading HiQ’s focus on business-oriented AI is an opportunity to set a new standard. It’s time for companies of all sizes and forms to stop hesitating, start building long-term strategies, and look beyond the risks. AI is about opportunities. We aim to transform ideas into business value, not just in projects but as part of ongoing success. AI is not the future – it’s now. Together with our team, we’re creating solutions that unlock real potential,” says Sofie Perslow, the new Head of AI at HiQ.

In her new role, she will focus on strengthening and accelerating HiQ’s team of AI experts and its business offering based in Stockholm, and she will also lead the overarching initiative to build HiQ’s capabilities in AI, data science, and machine learning engineering across Sweden.

Bankgirot has been a central part of Sweden's financial ecosystem for over 60 years. Now, the organization is embarking on a major transformation journey that will impact both payment flows and the infrastructure of tomorrow. Anna Maria Nyström, Chief Product Officer at Bankgirot, discusses the challenges and opportunities Bankgirot faces as it shapes the future of payments, in collaboration with HiQ.

A Historic Foundation to Build Upon

“Bankgirot has been a cornerstone of the Swedish payments landscape for decades,” says Anna Maria Nyström, Chief Product Officer at Bankgirot. “We are proud to have enabled everything from mass payments in the 1960s to today’s modern solutions.”

On average, around 9 million transactions, equivalent to 84 billion SEK, flow through Bankgirot’s payment systems every day. These systems handle a wide range of societal payments. Many people are familiar with key services like Autogiro (direct debit) and e-invoicing, which impact almost every company and individual in the country.

Bankgirot’s customers are banks and financial institutions operating in Sweden. To ensure the stability of Sweden’s payment market, Bankgirot is regulated and authorized by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority.

Transforming for the Future

The company is now facing one of its biggest transformations to date. Increased security requirements, stricter regulations, and global standards are driving the need for a modernization of Bankgirot’s platform and services—at a time when society is more dependent on payment systems than ever before.

“Our goal is to continue providing a secure infrastructure while adapting to new market demands,” explains Anna Maria. “The payments landscape is evolving, and we need to be prepared for the future.”

Collaboration with HiQ

At the heart of this modernization effort is the development of a new payment system that will offer greater flexibility. The system is being designed with scalability in mind and built on a modern architecture based on microservices and API-first principles. To achieve this, Bankgirot has chosen HiQ as its technical partner.

“HiQ is a key partner in this work. Their consultants bring deep technical expertise and an innovative mindset that is essential for building the infrastructure of the future,” says Anna Maria.

The goal is to create a platform that is faster, more secure, and fully compliant with regulatory requirements.

Challenges and Opportunities

However, the path to the new system is not without its challenges. Bankgirot must develop the new infrastructure while ensuring the existing system continues to operate seamlessly—a balancing act that requires meticulous precision.

“This is no small task. We are undergoing a major transition where we must decommission old systems while building an entirely new payment infrastructure—all without compromising the daily operations of millions of transactions,” says Anna Maria.

Regulatory requirements have also added complexity. Adapting to new standards, such as ISO 20022, requires significant changes in how payment information is processed and transferred.

Bankgirot is now focused on delivering a state-of-the-art system that will serve Sweden for decades to come.

Want to know how HiQ can support your business in banking, finance and payments? Read more and get in touch here.