Electric hydrofoil builder Candela today announced that it appointed Sofia Graflund chief executive officer. Graflund replaces founder Gustav Hasselkog, who was CEO for 11 years and assumes the role of executive chairman. The changes take effect June 23, with board approval.
“Candela today stands on significantly firmer ground than in its early years,” Hasselskog said in a statement. “With many of the core technological and product-related uncertainties resolved, the company is now entering a phase where operational execution and systematic scaling become increasingly central. I believe this is the right moment for a transition in leadership, aligned with the company’s next phase of expansion.”
As Candela’s chief strategy officer, Graflund has worked closely with the organization in recent months and has a deep understanding of its operations, strategy and growth agenda. Prior to joining Candela, she worked at EQT Ventures and held senior roles at Northvolt and Heart Aerospace, where she gained experience in scaling advanced technology and industrial companies.
“It’s a great honor to lead the team that effectively has invented electric hydrofoil technology, proven its success in demanding public transport, and brought three generations of vessels into serial production,” Graflund said in the statement. “Candela has established strong commercial traction and emerged as a market leader in electric waterborne transport. We’re now entering our next growth phase on a market valued at multiple billions globally, where we see demand for at least 5,000 vessels per year in the long term.”
