Spotify’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Katarina Berg, is set to step down from her role later this month, concluding an impactful 12-year tenure. Anna Ludström has been named her successor and will take over leadership of Spotify’s people strategy and workplace culture.
Berg joined Spotify in 2013, a time when the company was still in its scale-up phase. Over the next decade, she played a central role in building the company’s global workforce and developing a people-first culture that reflected Spotify’s values of flexibility, inclusivity, and innovation. During her leadership, the company’s workforce expanded tenfold, scaling across multiple geographies while maintaining a cohesive, culture-driven identity.
One of Berg’s most widely recognised contributions was the introduction of Spotify’s global parental leave policy in 2015, rolled out under the hashtag #LeadOnLeave. This progressive policy grants full-time employees up to six months of fully paid parental leave, which can be taken anytime up to the child’s third birthday. Employees also have the flexibility to split their leave into multiple periods, accommodating a range of parenting needs and lifestyles.
What sets this policy apart is its inclusive framework. It applies equally to mothers and fathers, same-sex couples, surrogates, and adoptive parents. Spotify complements this offering with a “Welcome Back!” program, which helps employees transition smoothly into the workplace post-leave. The initiative allows returnees to work remotely, adopt part-time schedules, or choose flexible hours, reinforcing the company’s commitment to work-life integration.
“Implementing this policy helped us attract and retain talent, extended average tenure, and reinforced our values of flexibility and inclusivity,” Berg shared in an interview with TIME. “It’s not just about time off—it’s about creating a culture where people can thrive in every stage of life.”
Beyond parental leave, Spotify has implemented several other forward-thinking workplace policies during Berg’s tenure. These include flexible holidays, competence-based development opportunities, and a flat organizational structure—all contributing to higher levels of employee satisfaction, autonomy, and engagement.
As Spotify continues to grow as a leader not just in tech but also in workplace culture, the company has also made significant strides in the global music economy. In 2024 alone, Spotify paid over $10 billion to rights holders, bringing its total lifetime payouts to nearly $60 billion. According to the company’s Annual Music Economics Report, the number of artists earning between $1,000 and $10 million annually on the platform has tripled since 2017.
Over 200 artists surpassed the $5 million earnings mark in 2024, a stark contrast to 10 years ago, when the top artist just crossed that threshold. Even more telling of Spotify’s global reach: artists recording in 17 different languages generated at least $1 million in annual royalties last year—more than double the number from 2017.
As Berg prepares to pass the baton, her departure marks the close of a transformative chapter in Spotify’s evolution. Her legacy lies not only in policy but in the culture of empathy, inclusion, and empowerment she helped shape—one that will continue to influence how Spotify supports its people in the years to come.
