Karnov's Åquist joins Enento as Sweden chief as recovery gains traction

Alexandra Åquist, chief revenue officer and country manager for Spain and Portugal at Karnov Group, will join Enento Group as country director for Sweden and a member of the executive management team no later than the beginning of 2027. The appointment comes as Sweden returns to growth, with local sales increasing 2% at comparable exchange rates in the first quarter after a difficult period for one of Enento's most important markets.

Åquist will report directly to CEO Teppo Paavola, the Finnish credit information provider announced recently. Carl Brynielsson, who has served as interim country director for Sweden, will return full-time to his role as country director for Norway and Denmark. The appointment is the latest management team change since Paavola joined Enento in January 2026, following a broader restructuring of the company's leadership and operating model.

The hire follows a stronger start to 2026 for Enento after a challenging period in Sweden. The group’s first-quarter net sales increased 5% to EUR 39.6 million, adjusted EBITDA rose 9% to EUR 13.5 million, and free cash flow climbed 59% to EUR 11.1 million.

Sweden moves from restructuring to recovery

Åquist joins as Enento seeks to build on early signs of improvement in Sweden.

The market weighed on group performance through 2024 and 2025, as regulatory uncertainty affecting loan brokers suppressed demand for consumer credit information services. Full-year 2025 net sales were EUR 152.7 million, flat at comparable exchange rates, with growth primarily driven by Business Insight operations in Finland.

Management responded by introducing a country-based operating model in March 2026, creating separate profit-and-loss responsibility for Finland and Sweden. Brynielsson assumed interim responsibility for Sweden while the search for a permanent leader was conducted.

The first quarter showed signs of improvement, with consumer credit volumes stabilizing, real estate services delivering growth, and compliance services securing new contracts.

Compliance and growth experience

Åquist joins from Karnov Group, where she most recently served as CRO and country manager for Spain and Portugal. Her career has included leadership positions across insurance, fundraising and legal information services, with much of her senior executive experience coming within Karnov's legal information and compliance business.

"We are excited to welcome Alexandra Åquist to Enento,” CEO Paavola said. “Her experience in transformations and driving growth will be instrumental to our next steps in Sweden. The role is crucial in supporting our growth agenda, improving speed-to-market, and delivering even stronger value to our customers." 

Åquist said she looks forward to leading Enento's Swedish business and building on the company's market position through innovation and customer value creation.