leadership

Jesper has been CEO of Symcel since September 2017. He is an entrepreneurial business driver who thrives in the complexity and dynamics of building science-based companies. He has a track record of driving growth, building multidisciplinary teams and strategic focus and strong business models within the life sciences.

Jesper was previously responsible for commercial operations and sales at the regenerative medicine company BioLamina. He co-founded and for many years led the executive network BiotechBuilders in Sweden. Jesper holds a MEng from the Royal Institute of Technology and has worked within basic and applied research and holds a PhD in Medical Science from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Parallel to his PhD studies, he worked at the Unit for Bioentrepreneurship at Karolinska and the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship.

Jesper enjoys running, playing with his kids and their friends skateboarding, drawing, cycling or playing football as well as serving his partner Hanna novel cocktails on weekends.

Hans Ericson joined Symcel in 2019 as Chief Financial Officer.

Hans is a seasoned Senior Finance professional with over two decades of experience in international business and publicly listed companies. He has proven leadership in Controllership and Finance where Hans has held a number of leading positions. In addition to his corporate roles he has worked as a consultant, contributing his expertise to a diverse range of organizations, including start-ups and research institutions. Hans has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Economics from University of Uppsala.

“I have a passion for the dynamics and speed of start-ups/scale-ups, where I can leverage my experience and drive to contribute to the success and growth of the organization through an encouraging and collaborative approach. The challenge of being part of this growth journey, driving positive change and being part of the Symcel team is what motivates and inspires me.”

Niklas has been COO of Symcel since September 2021 but joined the company back in in 2011 as consultant within QA/RA and product development. He has a structured, business-oriented personality with a strong focus on balancing risk and opportunity.

With over 20 years’ experience in the lifescience industry, Niklas has worked across early-stage startups and well-established organizations, specializing in scaling operations and products and leading multidisciplinary projects.

He holds a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics from Linkoping University in Sweden.

Niklas loves swimming, both indoors and in open water during the summer. He enjoys playing his guitars and spends a lot of time with his family, which includes his partner Hanna and their two grown-up daughters along with their boyfriends.

Magnus joined Symcel in 2009 back when the company was a two-person operation. Magnus’s academic credentials include a BSc in biochemistry and molecular biology from Upsala University and a PhD in Biochemistry from the Royal Institute of Technology.

Magnus’s professional journey is marked by a uniquely broad background in science and development. He has spent half his career in pharmaceutical drug development, taking on various roles from protein sciences to bioinformatics and early target discovery. His next step led him to the world of cutting-edge entrepreneurial technology development within the biotech industry.

His passion for the interface between science and technology has always been evident, as he continuously pushes the boundaries for novel technologies, implements cutting-edge technologies within biological research, and expands the limits for the application of calorimetry as Symcel’s CTO.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Magnus finds joy in all creative applications of fine art photography, design, architecture, history, and technological advancements. He is an avid hiker, often seen with his cameras capturing the expression of both urban and natural landscapes.

Wilhelm has been with Symcel since 2018. He brings with him an extensive background in microbiology and academic research from institutions such as Copenhagen University, Karolinska Institute, and UC Davis. Specializing in antibiotic resistance, Wilhelm transitioned into industry as CSO at 1928Diagnostics, where he worked on the development of next-generation sequencing techniques for diagnostics applications.

At Symcel, Wilhelm is responsible for adapting the calScreener technology for use in the diagnostics of bone and joint infections, as well as the rapid detection of microorganisms in sterility testing, with a specific focus on ATMPs.

Malin joined Symcel 2022 as product director. She has over 30 years’ experience in microcalorimetry and various microcalorimetric techniques and applications. Her educational background is in biochemistry, physical chemistry, and biophysics, and she holds a PhD from the University of Lund, in collaboration with Pharmacia & Upjohn.

Over the years, Malin has worked in application support, marketing, product development and product management. She has taken instrument platforms as well as consumables & accessories from concept to released products in both small and large companies.

“I am passionate about microcalorimetry and its applications across various fields, and my mission is to inspire others to explore its various uses. I am driven by the opportunity to share this passion and to witness the “Aha” moment when others grasp the power of microcalorimetry. There are virtually no limits to what microcalorimetry can measure. Even as a dedicated microcalorimetrist, I am continually fascinated by how we can push the boundaries of this technology, particularly in our groundbreaking work on rapid sterility testing. This innovative application has the potential to disrupt industry standards and improve efficiency in countless areas.”

Pia van der Zee joined Symcel in 2023 as Chief Commercial Officer. She has over two decades’ international experience in business development, sales and marketing in life science. Over the years, she has been responsible for commercialising instruments, consumables, reagents, solutions, services and pharmaceuticals in research, production control and the clinical and pharma spaces.

In that time, she held leadership roles in larger’ companies such as Agilent Technologies and in scale-up companies such as ChemoMetec and Biolamina. She has considerable experience in start-up/innovation as mentor at DTU Science Park and and lecturer at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and holds a Master of Chemical Engineering (biotechnology) from DTU and a Bachelor of Business Administration from CBS.

Pia: “I have been around the block a few times at large companies yet always find myself returning to the start-up environment. There is something about helping to create a robust foundation for success and being part of a growth journey that really drives me. Symcel is especially exciting. We have an amazing technology that is going to positively disrupt multiple industries and truly make a difference. I love that challenge.”

Robert Tönhardt joined Symcel in 2025. He is a technology-driven leader with a deep passion for solving complex development challenges in life science and medtech. With a background in applied physics and a PhD in fluid mechanics, he has spent much of his career guiding the development of advanced instruments and systems from concept to compliant product.

Before joining Symcel, Robert held senior leadership roles at Prevas, where he was instrumental in building and scaling development teams, integrating diverse engineering disciplines, and supporting technical due diligence in several acquisitions. He has led multidisciplinary projects across software, electronics, mechanics, and quality. His work has always focused on aligning technical solutions with business needs and regulatory requirements.

Robert holds an MSc in Applied Physics from Uppsala University and a PhD in Fluid Mechanics from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Outside of work, he enjoys skiing, playing tennis, and woodworking. He especially values projects that combine craftsmanship with creative problem solving.