Daniel Ek — CEO, Spotify

**Daniel Ek** is the co-founder and CEO of **Spotify** (NYSE: SPOT), the world's largest audio streaming platform with 600M+ users and 200M+ premium subscribers. A Swedish entrepreneur who started coding at age 13, he founded Spotify in Stockholm in 2006 and built it into the platform that transformed the music industry from ownership to access. He also launched Spotify's expansion into podcasts (acquiring Gimlet, Anchor, and signing Joe Rogan) and audiobooks.\n\nDaniel's challenge is the perpetual margin squeeze: music labels command approximately 70% of streaming revenue in royalties, leaving Spotify with razor-thin margins. His strategy has been to expand beyond music into podcasts and audiobooks (where margins are better) while using AI for personalization that increases engagement and reduces churn.