One of Sweden’s best-known entrepreneurs is taking on a new transatlantic role. Gunilla von Platen has been named Chair Elect of SACC-USA, the Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce, placing her at the center of a business network built to connect companies, entrepreneurs and leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.
Gunilla von Platen has spent much of her career building businesses around relationships: between companies and customers, founders and investors, and people who might otherwise never have found themselves in the same room.
Now, that ability to build connections is taking on a distinctly Swedish-American dimension.
Von Platen announced that she is stepping into the role of Chair Elect of SACC-USA, the umbrella organization representing Swedish-American chambers across the United States. She told Dagens Industri she is set to become the first chair based in Sweden.
In her announcement, she described the role in terms that closely mirror the organization’s mission: strengthening partnerships, expanding the community around Swedish-American business and opening more doors between the two countries.
An entrepreneur, investor and board leader
Von Platen founded Xzakt Kundrelation in 2000. In its 2017 acquisition announcement, Transcom said that Altor Fund IV acquired Xzakt through a holding company. Xzakt and Transcom were initially structured as sister companies, with Gunilla and Alfred von Platen becoming minority owners in the holding company.
Today, von Platen is a co-partner and significant owner of Transcom Worldwide. Transcom’s 2024 corporate governance report identifies her as a significant minority investor and deputy board director. Beyond Transcom, her investments span several fields. She has backed Einride, which develops electric and autonomous freight technology; Blykalla, a Swedish developer of lead-cooled small modular nuclear reactors; Yepstr, a platform connecting young people with local jobs; and Roaring, which provides business and identity data tools. She has also invested in Röko, a long-term owner of profitable niche businesses across Europe.
Von Platen also owns a real estate company and has been involved in philanthropy since founding Xzakt. Her board service has also bridged engineering and culture: she has served on the board of theRoyal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences’ Näringslivsråd and chaired the Swedish Film Institute from 2023 until the end of 2025. She also says she is an ambassador for Prince Daniel’s Fellowship and a member of the Baden-Powell Fellowship, a philanthropic network supporting the World Scout Foundation.
Her public profile extends beyond business. TV4 described her as the first woman to lead the original format of The Apprentice worldwide when it selected her to lead the Swedish edition. Von Platen says she was the first female investor on Sweden’s Draknästet, where Sveriges Radio identifies her as an investor. She has hosted Sommar i P1 twice, in 2007 and 2020. In 2020, she published her autobiography, Draken i rummet.
What is SACC-USA?
SACC-USA is the national umbrella organization for a network of 19 regional Swedish-American chambers across the United States.
Its mission is to promote trade, commerce, and investment between Sweden and the U.S. Its programs bring companies and business leaders together through the SACC Summit, Executive Forum, and Transatlantic Days. The Talent Mobility Program also gives young professionals opportunities for international experience and cross-cultural training.
The organization lists offices in Washington, D.C., Stockholm, and Gothenburg, and identifies Karin Hammar as its CEO.
Connecting Swedish companies with American opportunities
For companies exploring a new market, an introduction can be the first step toward finding a partner, a customer, or someone who understands the local business environment.
SACC-USA’s regional chambers give that work a local presence across the United States. Von Platen’s experience in customer service and investment brings a business perspective to a network built around these exchanges.
In her announcement, she emphasized the importance of partnerships and encouraged more people to take part in the SACC-USA community. The title Chair Elect means she has been selected to take up the role at a later date.
For readers interested in the people and organizations connecting Sweden and the United States, this is a new chapter worth following. Explore more of our business coverage for stories from both sides of the Atlantic.
Featured image: Oloros93 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
