Sweden appoints Andreas von Beckerath to lead new intelligence service

The Swedish government has appointed Andreas von Beckerath as the Director General and head of the newly established Swedish Foreign Intelligence Service. Von Beckerath, who currently serves as the EU Ambassador to Serbia and has previously held ambassadorial roles in Warsaw and Kyiv, will take office on January 1, 2027. His term is set to run until December 31, 2032.

Annika Brändström has been appointed as the Deputy Director General. Both leaders are scheduled to assume their roles when the new agency officially begins operations at the turn of the year. Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stated that both appointees possess extensive experience in foreign and security policy, making them well-suited to build the new organization and strengthen Sweden’s intelligence capabilities.