Precise Biometrics Names New CEO as Persson Accelerates Departure

Precise Biometrics has found its new CEO: Patrick Höijer will take the helm no later than June 1, the company has announced.

Höijer will bring a varied mix of education and business experience to the role. Having studied business and law at institutions including Queen Mary University of London and Stockholm University, Höijer went on to accumulate experience across a range of professions, including work as business journalist for Thomson Reuters, a business analyst for Denmark’s E.ON green energy company, and multiple sales and marketing roles in the telecommunications sector.

Most recently, Höijer has served as the Chief Commercial Officer for Nets Group’s Large and Key Account unit serving the DACH, Nordic, and Baltic regions, a position that also entailed serving as CEO of Nets Sweden. Höijer has been with Nets Group since September of 2015, starting as Senior Vice President of Nets MS Group.

Commenting on the appointment, Precise Biometrics Board Chairman Torgny Hellström emphasized that Höijer will be joining the company at a transitional time for its business, following the acquisition of access control specialist EastCoast Solutions and ongoing progress in its biometric software business.

“Following the acquisition of EastCoast, we have strengthened our Digital Identity business area,” he explained. “At the same time, the Algo business has developed well with several new strong partners. The company is now geared to capitalize on the markets in which we operate. Patrick Höijer brings solid experience from growth in SaaS companies and has the very right business understanding required to run Precise through the next phase.”

The news comes after Precise Biometrics announced the pending departure of Stefan K. Persson, who gave six months’ notice in September of 2021; at the time, the company explained that Persson had decided to pursue other interests. Persson will not be passing the reins directly to Höijer, however. In announcing the latter’s appointment, Precise also stated that former Sales VP Fredrik Sjöholm will serve as acting CEO starting March 1.

In any case, Höijer expressed his excitement about leading “a well-managed company with interesting customer solutions and an underlying strong business,” noting that the broader trend of digital transformation offers tailwinds. “With the ongoing digitalization in the society, I see an increasing demand for solutions within digital identity,” he said. “I look forward to leading Precise in this phase by further strengthening the company’s SaaS offering in collaboration with employees, customers and partners.”

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February 9, 2022 – by Alex Perala