“Softronic’s New CEO Mattias Flock: ‘I Love Creating Things — That’s Why Growth Excites Me’”

After six months leading publicly listed Softronic, CEO Mattias Flock has found his rhythm. Drawing on experience from both small-scale innovation and large organizational processes, he is now focused on creating a structured growth journey where long-term vision, security, and deep client relationships go hand in hand.

In an interview with Cinode, he shares why Softronic stood out to him, what lessons he brings from past experiences, and his perspective on the industry.

When Mattias Flock took over as CEO of Softronic before the summer, he did so with an open mind and extensive experience from the consulting world. After 14 years at Connecta, via Acando to CGI, he has experienced both the fast-paced innovation of smaller companies and the structured processes of global giants.

– At Connecta, everything was driven by creativity and energy. Anything was possible, and all ideas had a place. But the structure wasn’t fully established, so we often had to reinvent the wheel every time. At CGI, it was the opposite—a clear model that works worldwide, with strong structure and standardized processes repeated over and over. But you can’t move as quickly or innovate as freely because you constantly have to work within the processes. Each model has its advantages and disadvantages. A middle ground might be the best approach, and that’s exactly what I bring to Softronic.

Focus on Sales Culture

It is precisely these diverse experiences that Mattias now aims to apply at Softronic, a well-established company with a broad portfolio, founded the same year he was born, 1984. Since May, Mattias has been leading the business.
– What attracted me here was the company’s potential. There is an incredible delivery capability that could be made even more visible, he says.

With a Master’s degree in Engineering Physics from Uppsala University, he describes himself as deeply motivated by personal and professional growth.
– I love creating things, which is why I find growth so fascinating. Here, it’s about finding long-term solutions to our clients’ challenges.

Mattias also places a strong emphasis on sales and client interactions.
– I have a natural sales instinct, so that is particularly exciting to me. It is through dialogue with clients that we discover opportunities. If you are skilled at delivery, you can focus even more on sales, he explains, drawing a parallel to football:
– It’s great to be excellent in midfield, but if no one is up front putting the ball in the net, the game doesn’t progress. Building an even stronger sales culture is one of the keys to moving forward.

AI Is Changing the Playing Field

When it comes to AI and automation, Mattias is both a realist and a visionary. He already sees how automation is eliminating manual processes and is thinking ahead about what this means for the future of the consulting industry.
– I’m not convinced the market is correct in assuming that consulting rates will rise and that more consultants will be needed when the economy rebounds. Much of the work will instead be taken over by automation—if not in the short term, then certainly over the longer term, he notes.

Regarding fully auto-generated code, Mattias emphasizes the importance of ensuring it works sustainably and can be managed over time.
– The output may look clean and simple, but it’s critical to consider how it will function when something needs to be changed or adjusted, he says.

Softronic is actively investing in AI and already has two rapidly growing teams, driven by clients’ needs for efficiency and cost optimization. Mattias sees significant opportunities as well as risks in the technology but knows it is essential for creating value for both clients and employees.

Stability During an Economic Downturn

While many consulting firms have struggled with squeezed margins and reduced demand, Softronic has managed to maintain both growth and profitability. Mattias points to two main reasons.
– We have long-standing client relationships built on trust, which we work hard to maintain. In addition, there are several large projects and contracts that continue to run. The companies facing the biggest challenges are those with a heavy reliance on staffing, which is less of a factor for us, he explains.

The company’s broad portfolio—from modern data centers in Sweden to advanced application development—also gives it a unique position:
– We can deliver everything a company with fewer than 50 IT staff needs today. Since IT is our core business, we can manage it and free up time for the client to focus on their own core operations, he adds.

Cinode Creates New Opportunities in Delivery

Softronic has been a Cinode client for many years, something Mattias sees as a clear advantage.
– Finding the right candidates and subcontractors for our projects has been key for us. Matching the right skills with the right assignments allows us to deliver better results for our clients. That part of the platform is extremely valuable to us, he explains.

– Resource planning enables us to optimize our project deliveries. Cinode also supports us with CV and skills management, he adds.

Building a Culture Where People Want to Create

Looking three years ahead, Mattias has a clear goal:
– We want to look back on our growth journey and feel that we have truly strengthened both our clients’ and our employees’ development. In the consulting industry, it is essential to stay responsive to the market’s needs and adapt quickly, so that we grow in the right way—together with our consultants and clients.

The growth journey is also about continuing to build a culture where people want to contribute and develop.
– We create things together within the company. It’s about building a structure with people who are engaged and motivated to grow. That’s how we move forward, he concludes.