Swedish export credit agency EKN has hired Lena Bertilsson as its director of business area for large corporates and new member of its executive management team.

Bertilsson, who starts in mid-September, replaces Marie Aglert, who has been named head of investment for Swedfund International, the country’s development finance institution.

Bertilsson is currently head of ESG finance, project finance and advisory for Swedbank. She has held various trade and structured finance roles at lenders including ABN Amro, RBS and EKN’s sister agency, the Swedish Export Credit Corporation.

In the new position at EKN she will report to director general Anna-Karin Jatko. “EKN has never seen such high demand on export guarantees as today – not least within 5G, defence and infrastructure,” Jatko says. “Lena Bertilsson’s extensive experience will be very valuable in EKN’s continued work to strengthen the Swedish offer”.

EKN issued guarantees worth SKr48.3bn (US$4.4bn) in the first four months of 2023, it said last month, noting that “banks have become more cautious compared to previous years and obtaining bank financing has become harder”.

Bertilsson says: “I really look forward to contributing to the important work of promoting Swedish exports and continuing to strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish companies in the green transition.”