Cristina Stenbeck (photo: Wayne Tippetts)
In 1995 the Swedish business man, Jan Stenbeck took a chance and invested in a wild idea: A daily complimentary newspaper. The newspaper, Metro, was the first of its kind, and the very first edition was published in Stockholm on 13 February 1995. Stenbeck’s belief in Metro revolutionized not only the newspaper industry but all media.
Now it’s Stenbeck’s daughter, Cristina, who is head of the family’s communications conglomerate. She was born in 1977 in America. With her three siblings, she was handed control of the family’s media empire when her father, Jan Stenbeck, died in 2002. At the time her experience largely consisted of two years working for Ralph Lauren. Work takes up most of her time, but with a child under two years and two on the way she will also get her hands full at home.
Interview with Cristina Stenbeck
15 years ago your father took a chance when he invested in starting a daily complimentary newspaper, and it was the spark that started a revolution. How do you see the revolution in a complimentary newspaper now?
In most countries, it is no longer a revolution but reality in everyday life. On Metro’s success many competitors launched Metro-copies, and it’s become a very competitive industry, sometimes even too much, so that many countries entered into the next stage, namely consolidation. I still believe thought, that the complimentary newspaper can continue being revolutionary, if we remain innovative and continue to challenge ourselves.
Where do you see Metro in 15 years?
We must get even more out of that ‘window’, in which we reach the reader, namely when people commute in the morning. We call it the ‘Metro Moment’. We must become more effective in protecting this moment with our readers and become more creative when it comes to how we extend this time with new services.
Why is this model so successful?
It meets a need, free and efficiently, and allows advertisers to reach the audience they ideally want to reach: The young, talented people in large cities. Metro’s success, I believe, is due to the balance between local relevance and global vision. Our focus on developing and improving that core Metro product through a turbulent period with a stable owner, who provides continuity, have both been key to our survival during the financial crisis.
What is your favorite section?
I love the news. I’ve always been fascinated by headlines. I always read newspapers forwards [from the beginning] and focus on the headlines, while I read magazines backwards, haha.
What is the best advice you ever received?
On the way up the career ladder, you must treat people as you would want to be treated on the way down.
Interview by Maggie Samways, Journalist Metro World News
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