Swish has selected HiQ as a new partner for digital development. The partnership will support Swish's continued evolution in a payments market where demands for security, stability and user experience are increasing, while new needs must be rapidly translated into reliable digital services. 

– We are pleased to be partnering with HiQ and look forward to continuing to develop Swish together for our users. HiQ brings broad expertise and experience that we see as a valuable addition to our ongoing work, says Torbjörn Lundmark, CTO at Swish. 

Today, Swish is an integral part of everyday life in Sweden, used by millions of individuals and businesses. Through the partnership, Swish gains access to a broad range of specialist expertise to meet emerging needs in the payments market. 

The new framework agreement enables Swish to engage HiQ specialists in areas including software development, UX, cybersecurity and quality assurance. The partnership also marks a return to a service that HiQ helped develop from the very beginning. 

– HiQ has extensive experience in developing digital solutions for security-critical environments, where high standards of security, quality and speed of delivery are essential. We are delighted to be working with Swish again, and it is particularly rewarding as we were involved in developing the service from the start, says Peter Arrhenius, CEO of HiQ. 

Since then, HiQ has continued to work with complex financial systems and digital payment infrastructure for both public authorities and leading organisations in the financial sector. 

– HiQ is a valued partner in Sweden’s financial infrastructure and critical digital services because we combine deep technical expertise with experience of secure, complex environments where quality, availability and trust are absolutely essential, says David Sandberg, Head of Financial Services at HiQ. 

HiQ has appointed Fredrik Nyberg as the new CEO of Region West. He has extensive experience in leading and developing consulting businesses within tech, engineering and R&D, including from senior roles at Capgemini Engineering, Altran and Xdin. In his new role, Fredrik will be tasked with strengthening HiQ’s position in AI and software development, as well as driving continued growth in one of the company’s largest regions.

Fredrik Nyberg most recently held the role of Nordic Managing Director at Capgemini Engineering. He has previously served as CEO Scandinavia at Altran and CEO of Xdin, and has spent many years building and developing consulting businesses in both Swedish and international environments.

As CEO of HiQ West, Fredrik will be responsible for a region with a strong position in industry, the public sector and technology-intensive companies. With this recruitment, HiQ strengthens its ability to contribute expertise in AI, data and advanced software, which are key success factors for customers’ innovation, efficiency and competitiveness.

– Fredrik has exactly the right experience, energy and commercial drive to lead HiQ West into its next phase of growth. With his clear leadership and ability to build strong teams, he will contribute to both continued growth and the development of our business in West Sweden. I am very pleased to welcome him to HiQ, says Peter Arrhenius, Group CEO of HiQ.

Fredrik Nyberg looks forward to taking on the assignment and continuing to develop HiQ’s business in the region.

– Many companies in West Sweden are undergoing rapid digital transformation. I look forward to continuing to develop HiQ West together with the team in Gothenburg, growing alongside our customers and creating value through AI, software development, design and innovation, says Fredrik Nyberg, new CEO of HiQ West.

Fredrik Nyberg will assume his new role on 1 October.

On 1 October, cybersecurity requirements will become more specific, just as European Cybersecurity Month begins. This will be the first Cybersecurity Month since the requirements of Sweden’s Cybersecurity Act were set out in more detailed regulations. HiQ cybersecurity expert Pernilla Rönn explains what is changing and which actions companies and organisations should prioritise.

European Cybersecurity Month was launched in 2012 to raise awareness of cybersecurity among citizens and organisations. The need remains significant. In August, Swedish organisations faced an average of 2,470 cyberattacks per week, an increase of 38 per cent compared with the same month last year. That is well above the global increase of 22 per cent, according to Check Point Research.

“The new regulatory framework makes cybersecurity a clearer operational and leadership responsibility. Having policies and procedures in place is no longer enough. Organisations need to be able to show that they work in practice,” says Pernilla Rönn, cybersecurity expert at HiQ.

The next phase of Sweden’s cybersecurity regulation begins on 1 October. New regulations will then take effect, specifying requirements for security measures and management training, as well as rules on security audits and security scans.

From 1 October, the following will apply:

• Specific security measures: Organisations need a structured approach to areas such as risk assessments, access controls, incident management, business continuity and supply chain security.
• Management training: Senior management needs sufficient knowledge to understand cyber risks, take responsibility for security and follow up on the organisation’s efforts.
• Security audits: A supervisory authority may require an organisation to undergo a security audit to verify that its security measures and processes work in practice.
• Security scans: Technical environments must be able to be scanned for vulnerabilities and weaknesses so they can be identified and addressed.

“October is a good opportunity to review your preparedness, identify gaps and make sure responsibilities and ways of working are clear before an incident occurs,” says Pernilla Rönn.

Pernilla Rönn’s checklist: five things to do in October

1. Check whether your organisation is covered by the rules and has registered. Since 1 July, registrations have been received by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at the Swedish National Defence Radio Establishment (FRA). Changes must be reported within 14 days.
2. Review the new regulations on security measures against your existing procedures before 1 October, or as soon as possible.
3. Schedule management training and document that it has been completed.
4. Test your incident response process. Practise how a cyber incident would be managed and reported. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities: an initial notification of a significant incident must be submitted within 24 hours, followed by an incident report within 72 hours and a final report within one month.
5. If you manufacture connected products, prepare for CRA reporting. The reporting obligations have applied since 11 September. Make sure you have EU Login access and procedures for reporting through ENISA’s platform.

Anders Kullenberg has been appointed Head of AI at HiQ. With experience in AI-assisted software development and advanced technical systems, he will develop HiQ’s AI offering across the company’s markets.

The appointment strengthens HiQ’s position as a partner to organisations looking to turn AI into measurable business value, not least through advanced AI solutions and AI-assisted software development.

– Many companies have tested AI, but the next step is to make the technology work in real systems and organisations. AI initiatives rarely fail because of the model itself, but because data, architecture, security, accountability and change management are not aligned. This is where we at HiQ can make a real difference, says Anders Kullenberg, Head of AI at HiQ.

In his role as Head of AI, Anders will have overall responsibility for further developing HiQ’s AI offering and strengthening the company’s ability to meet customers’ growing needs within AI. The focus will be on translating business needs into technical solutions that can be integrated and scaled within customers’ operations.

A central part of the initiative is AI-assisted software development, where HiQ helps customers use AI to increase development speed, improve quality and create more efficient ways of working throughout the entire development lifecycle.

Anders Kullenberg joins the role from his most recent position as AI Lead in HiQ’s Mälardalen region. He has also previously held senior technical roles at companies including Volvo Group, Scania, Veoneer and Arriver.

– Anders brings both deep technical expertise and a clear business perspective. With him, we are strengthening our ability to help customers turn AI into measurable business value and create solutions that work and can be scaled in real-world environments. His experience will also be important in our continued focus on AI-assisted software development, an area where we see significant potential to create tangible value for our customers, says Peter Arrhenius, Group CEO at HiQ.

Anders Kullenberg took up his new role on 17 August.