Erik Wahlberg Named Epidemic Group CEO; Sara Börsvik Assumes Joint COO/CFO Role

Erik Wahlberg appointed CEO of Epidemic Group, as Sara Börsvik takes on joint COO and CFO role

September 24, 2026 By Murray Stassen

Epidemic Group , the parent company of Epidemic Sound , has named Erik Wahlberg as its Chief Executive Officer.

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Wahlberg is the founder and CEO of Blenda Labs , a Stockholm video production technology company that Epidemic Group bought in July 2026 .

He takes over from Sara Börsvik , who moves from interim CEO into the joint role of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

Both moves take effect on October 1, 2026 , the company said on Wednesday ( September 23 ).

Börsvik has run the business on an interim basis since March 11 , when co-founder Oscar Höglund stepped down as CEO and moved to the board.

Börsvik was Epidemic Sound ’s CFO at the time, and the board said it would run a global search for a permanent successor.

Epidemic Group says that period covered a return to profitable growth in H1 2026 , after what it calls an investment year in 2025 .

“This is a leadership structure built for what Epidemic Group is becoming,” said Hjalmar Winbladh , co-founder and Chair of Epidemic Group . “In Erik, we have exactly the kind of AI-native, creator-first leader to take this business further, someone who has already built the production system that our broader storytelling ambition, including video, needs.

“ Sara ’s operating discipline has been central to getting us here, and now gives Erik a strong foundation to build from.”

“Millions of creators and the world’s biggest brands trust Epidemic ,” said Wahlberg . “I’ve spent my career where creativity and technology meet, and as AI rewrites how stories get made, putting new possibilities in the hands of human creators, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

“And no one I’d rather do it with than Sara and this team.”

> “AS AI REWRITES HOW STORIES GET MADE, PUTTING NEW POSSIBILITIES IN THE HANDS OF HUMAN CREATORS, THERE’S NOWHERE I’D RATHER BE.” ERIK WAHLBERG, EPIDEMIC GROUP

Blenda Labs makes animation and video for rightsholders using what Epidemic Group calls AI-native workflows, and counts CoStudios and Storytel among its partners.

Epidemic Group announced the acquisition on July 3 , without disclosing financial terms.

“What we have built with Blenda is a production system that compounds,” Wahlberg said at the time. “Every production makes the next one better and faster, always with the magic of human creativity at the center.

“Joining Epidemic Group means we can put that at the heart of how the best IP in the world gets made.”

Before Blenda , Wahlberg spent seven years as co-founder and CEO of mobile 3D video creation app Frever , which counted Sony Music and EQT Ventures among its backers, according to Epidemic Group .

The company says he served before that as Chief Creative Officer and Nordic CEO of MTG Studios at Modern Times Group , and held roles at Jarowskij and Strix Television .

“Stepping into this role is a natural next chapter for me within Epidemic Group ,” said Börsvik . “Over the past months, we’ve embraced AI to unlock new creative possibilities and brought the business back to profitable growth, with momentum accelerating into the second half of the year.

“As COO, I get to build on that across an even bigger canvas, working alongside Erik and this incredible team as we reimagine storytelling.”

Epidemic Group comprises Epidemic Sound , Blenda Labs , sound effects platform Soundly , label Overtone Studios , licensing audit business Soundproof , and creative tools business Plenty Labs .

The parent company said in July that it was changing its name from Epidemic Sound Group , with the change at that point pending registration at Swedish companies register Bolagsverket .

Epidemic Sound says videos carrying its music draw more than 3.5 billion views a day across platforms, and that 70% of the top 300 US YouTube channels use it.

Epidemic Group ’s reported revenues fell 5% to SEK 1.828bn in 2025 , which it attributes to currency movements, particularly in the US dollar and the euro, and to a one-time reset in how a large platform partner pays for digital rights management.

That compares with SEK 1.921bn (USD $181.62m) in 2024 , though the group says revenues grew 3% in constant currency last year.

Reported revenues in H1 2026 reached SEK 948m , up from SEK 909m a year earlier and equivalent to a 10% increase in constant currency, with adjusted EBITDA of SEK 99m against a SEK 62m loss.

Epidemic Group says its 2026 figures are unaudited.

Epidemic Group is backed by EQT , Blackstone , Creandum , Atwater Capital , Alecta , AMF , and IMAS Foundation . Music Business Worldwide

_Originally reported by [Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/erik-wahlberg-appointed-ceo-of-epidemic-group-as-sara-borsvik-takes-on-joint-coo-and-cfo-role/)._