Jenny Åkeson’s road to Combitech began with a master’s degree in disaster risk management. But it was during her time as an administrator at the Swedish Embassy in Kosovo that crisis management went from an academic field to a possible career path. After returning to Sweden, she worked as an emergency preparedness coordinator for two municipalities before joining Combitech in 2024. Today, as an advisor in crisis preparedness and civil defence, she helps organisations prepare for situations when business as usual is no longer an option.
– Some operations are critical to society and need to keep functioning no matter what happens. My job is to help organisations develop that capability, and make sure there is a plan B, and perhaps a plan C as well, says Jenny.
Rasmus Englesson took a different route, with technology providing the way in. He started his career as a technician at Ericsson before moving to the Swedish Armed Forces, where he worked in wireless and radio communications. In 2023, he joined Combitech as a systems engineer. His experience from the Armed Forces soon led to responsibility for a project for the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and last year he moved into his current role as Consultant Unit Manager. Today, Rasmus manages around 20 employees across 12 locations and leads projects involving the Swedish Armed Forces’ telecommunications network and secure communication solutions.
– Those of us who have worked in the Armed Forces know how much depends on communication. If it doesn’t work, you lose a major piece of the puzzle. That makes the importance of what we do very tangible. During Storm Gudrun, for example, the Armed Forces’ telecommunications network was one of the few that remained operational, allowing other organisations and services in Sweden to use it.
Growing with the challenge
It’s an interesting time to be working with civil defence. Sweden’s preparedness is developing rapidly, with new initiatives and assignments emerging quickly. As a consultant, Jenny gets a broad view of that development.
– You get to see the system from several perspectives: local, regional and national. Within our team, we share experiences from different assignments and bring together many different competencies. There’s a strong sense of working with something that benefits society, alongside people who are driven by the same thing.
For Jenny, no two assignments are quite the same. One assignment can lead into an organisation or subject area she previously knew little about, while the next might involve lectures or a completely different type of project.
– But we also get the opportunity to deepen our expertise and work within areas we already know well. For me, that has been continuity management so far, says Jenny.
Rasmus has also seen his role expand. Moving from systems engineer into management means being involved in more parts of the organisation, while still staying close to the projects. For him, development is therefore as much about creating opportunities for others as it is about taking the next step himself.
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys Malmö’s cultural scene, with music taking centre stage. She sings in a choir, plays some guitar and piano, and has recently started exploring a new musical challenge.
– Singing is my biggest passion, but I’ve also started a project to become a choir leader. So that’s my next challenge, says Jenny. For Rasmus, who lives in Kristianstad, free time is more about travelling and watching football.
– For me, there’s only one team – Malmö FF, says Rasmus.
New perspectives across the industry
In 2025, their professional paths converged in SOFF Young Professionals. Run by the Swedish Security and Defence Industry Association, the network brings together people from different companies and areas of the industry. Jenny and Rasmus were both nominated through Combitech and selected to take part. Still in its early stages, the network includes meetings, study visits and discussions on topics such as innovation and skills supply. One of the network’s main strengths, Jenny says, is the mix of perspectives in the room.
– I’ve gained a much broader understanding of what the industry actually includes. You meet people with really interesting roles, and it’s a unique opportunity to do that with others at a similar stage in their careers. I don’t come from the technical side, for example, so I can learn a lot from others.
That exchange works both ways. Jenny brings a perspective rooted in civil defence, crisis preparedness and the needs of public organisations. Rasmus brings experience from the Armed Forces, technology and secure communications. He also sees Young Professionals as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the industry.
– It’s a network at its core, but there’s also an ambition to bring companies in the industry closer together. How can we innovate together? If someone is facing a challenge, what can we learn from each other? It’s also a way to help young people develop in an industry where the average age can be quite high.
When a conversation opens a door
For Rasmus, one meeting has already led to something more tangible. After listening to a speaker discuss obstacles and processes connected to government agencies, he decided to continue the conversation afterwards.
– I contacted him to get some more input, and that eventually led me to raise two areas internally where I think we have opportunities to develop. They could potentially lead to new business. So the network has already opened doors for me.
It is a small example of the larger idea behind the network: bringing together people who might otherwise remain in their own parts of the industry and giving them a chance to exchange knowledge and perspectives.
That idea also connects closely to Jenny’s everyday work. Preparedness is ultimately about much more than having the right technical solution or the right document ready in a drawer.
– Crisis preparedness isn’t built only through technology or only through plans. It’s built through people. And that’s something SOFF really contributes to.
