01
A board that works.
Board chair & board member
Governance and structure that make a company fundable - and a chair who has sat on the founder's side of the table.
I help founders and boards through the moments that decide a company.
Stockholm
Board chair, advisor and executive, interim or permanent, for tech companies. Eighteen years of building software companies - from first hire to international expansion to exit.
How I see it
Companies stall at the turning points.
The first international market, the round that has to close, the product that needs a new direction, the board that doesn't work yet, the key seat that suddenly stands empty - I have been on the inside of all of them, as founder, CEO and chair.
Work with me
Ways to work together.
02
Advice that lands.
Advisor & strategic reviews
A sparring partner on the calls that matter: strategy, product, fundraising, go-to-market and M&A. Or a focused review of team and product - what works, what doesn't and what to do next.
03
Leadership that steps in.
Interim or permanent executive
When a key seat is empty or the product needs to take the next step. CPO, CPTO or CEO - leading product and tech teams hands-on, with real technical understanding and eighteen years of building and scaling companies behind it.
Something else in mind? I'm open to most kinds of engagements - tell me what the company needs and we'll shape the role from there. Where it takes more than me, I can bring in trusted specialists in tech, HR and sales.
When to call me
- 01Expanding into new markets - the US, Asia or Europe
- 02Raising a round, or getting ready to
- 03Preparing for an exit or acquisition
- 04Building or rebuilding the board
- 05A leadership gap that can't wait for a recruitment process
- 06Hiring a CEO, CPO or CPTO for the next chapter
- 07A product or team that needs an honest outside review
- 08A tech team that needs leadership while you find a CTO
Track record
Built, scaled, sold.
- years building and scaling software companies
- 18
- countries where I've opened offices
- 6
- sides of M&A - I've both acquired and sold companies across borders
- 2
- countries where I've sold B2B SaaS
- 60
Recognition · 2021
Academy Award
Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, for the Design, Architecture, and Engineering of ftrack Studio.
Selected work.
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CyberResilient
AI-native platform for cyber resilience and compliance. Rebuilt the product and took it live in eight months, leading product alongside the CEO role.
2026 -
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Devant
Synthetic data for in-cabin AI.
2022 -
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Big Audience Machine
AI content engine for small marketing teams.
2025 - 2026
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iconik
Media asset management in the Backlight group, led alongside ftrack.
2023 - 2024
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Backlight
Built the global customer experience organisation across three product lines.
2023
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ftrack Shanghai
Built and led ftrack’s own entity for the Chinese market.
2017 - 2025
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Backlight
Led ftrack inside the PSG Equity-backed group and reported to PSG at board level.
2021 - 2024
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ftrack
From inception to offices in six countries. Acquired cineSync in 2019, acquired by PSG Equity in 2021.
2011 - 2021
Words
What founders, boards and teams say.
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“Throughout his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in defining Devant’s strategic direction and has consistently brought clarity, structure, and perspective to our most important decisions. […] Any company fortunate enough to have Fredrik on board will gain not just a strategic thinker, but a genuinely dedicated partner committed to building enduring success.”
Richard BremerFounder & CEO, Devant
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“Simply put, Fred is one of the most grounded founders I’ve ever worked with. […] Fred would be the first person I’d call when I need a leader with deep expertise in scaling a business, a steady voice of reason, and a genuine belief that people are a company’s greatest advantage.”
Ashley Stamps-LafontFormer Global VP of Customer Success, Backlight
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“Fredrik excels at aligning product strategy with market needs — turning complex ideas into clear, actionable plans that motivate both engineering and go-to-market teams. […] Any founder, board, or investor would be fortunate to have his strategic insight and leadership on their side.”
Gregory LawlerCo-Founder, MediaRamp Partners
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“Fredrik is an exceptional chairman and a massive asset to any early-stage company. […] Fredrik is instrumental in professionalizing our board operations, establishing a level of governance and structure you’d typically find in a much more mature company.”
Adam ChrigströmFounder, Big Audience Machine
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“I had the privilege of reporting directly to Fredrik, and I can say without hesitation that he’s one of the most grounded and inspiring leaders I’ve ever worked with. […] Fredrik leads with gravitas, clarity, and grace. He sets a high bar for excellence and trusts his team to meet it.”
Tram Le-JonesChief Operating Officer, Evercast
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“In just a few years, I watched the company grow from a small team of several members to over 50 employees—he successfully guided ftrack past development bottlenecks, drove rapid business growth, and significantly expanded its market share.”
Yamin YuFormer General Manager, ftrack Mainland China
I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Fredrik in his role as Chairman of the Board at Devant. Fredrik brings an exceptional depth of knowledge in building companies and consistently exemplifies authentic, inspiring leadership in both words and actions. Fredrik is a profound source of inspiration and has played a pivotal role in my own growth and development as a CEO.
Throughout his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in defining Devant’s strategic direction and has consistently brought clarity, structure, and perspective to our most important decisions. His ability to balance high-level strategy with practical execution has been instrumental to navigate challenges and opportunities. Devant would not be where we are today without his leadership, experience and dedication.
Any company fortunate enough to have Fredrik on board will gain not just a strategic thinker, but a genuinely dedicated partner committed to building enduring success.
What can I say about Fred? As the “F” in ftrack, his leadership shaped not just the company’s vision but also the culture of empowerment that defined our customer team. He hires great people, gives them the support they need, and then gets out of their way.
As VP of Customer Success and part of his ELT team, I worked closely with Fred. Under his direction, our team operated with clear priorities, access to resources, and the freedom to experiment.
Simply put, Fred is one of the most grounded founders I’ve ever worked with. He balances vision and pragmatism incredibly well, always challenging us to focus on what the business needed as a first team. He made tough decisions with calm confidence and invited open, honest discussion from every level of the organization. People didn’t necessarily come to Backlight for Fredrik, but they stayed because of the culture he built.
Fred would be the first person I’d call when I need a leader with deep expertise in scaling a business, a steady voice of reason, and a genuine belief that people are a company’s greatest advantage.
I had the privilege of working with Fredrik Limsater at ftrack and later at Backlight, and he’s one of those rare leaders who combines deep product vision with the ability to scale teams and businesses effectively.
Fredrik excels at aligning product strategy with market needs — turning complex ideas into clear, actionable plans that motivate both engineering and go-to-market teams. He leads with clarity, empathy, and focus, building cultures of trust and collaboration that deliver real results.
Any founder, board, or investor would be fortunate to have his strategic insight and leadership on their side.
Fredrik is an exceptional chairman and a massive asset to any early-stage company. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him as my chairman at Big Audience Machine (BAM), where his impact has been clear from day one.
He possesses a rare and deep expertise in the complex legal and administrative structures crucial for startups - everything from navigating fundraising rounds to structuring incentive programs. Fredrik is instrumental in professionalizing our board operations, establishing a level of governance and structure you’d typically find in a much more mature company. Critically, he implemented this new structure in a way that felt effortless and enabling, rather than cumbersome.
Beyond the crucial governance, he is exactly the kind of strategic sounding board a founder needs. He is supportive, provides clear and direct guidance, and sets high expectations that push the entire team forward.
I can’t recommend him highly enough, both as an invaluable partner for a founder and as a trusted steward for investors.
I had the privilege of reporting directly to Fredrik, and I can say without hesitation that he’s one of the most grounded and inspiring leaders I’ve ever worked with. Fredrik was one of the first CEOs who gave me an opportunity to grow into the leader I am today. He emboldened me to expand my skills and helped me shatter that glass ceiling.
Fredrik leads with gravitas, clarity, and grace. He sets a high bar for excellence and trusts his team to meet it. He empowers his executives to operate at a senior level and ensures they are supported to bring their best. The team he built at ftrack didn’t just work for him—they deeply respected and admired him, and that speaks volumes about his leadership.
He’s a pragmatic, loyal, and principled leader who understands what it takes to grow and scale teams in a sustainable way. His approach to growth is both strategic and hands-on: he builds frameworks that drive direction and accountability, takes feedback thoughtfully, and stands firm when he knows an idea won’t serve the business.
I’ll always be grateful for the chance he took on me, and I carry forward many of the lessons I learned under his leadership. Fredrik built something lasting with ftrack, and anyone who has the opportunity to work with him will find themselves in the presence of a truly exceptional leader.
As the 9th employee at ftrack, I was deeply struck by Fredrik’s exceptional leadership and decision-making throughout our years of collaboration. In just a few years, I watched the company grow from a small team of several members to over 50 employees—he successfully guided ftrack past development bottlenecks, drove rapid business growth, and significantly expanded its market share.
We also built ftrack’s China entity from scratch, scaling the team into a robust local organization that now effectively supports the Chinese market.
Notably, Fredrik prioritizes frontline engagement to gain on-the-ground insights into global markets. This hands-on approach lets him accurately gauge industry trends, lead the company in completing key strategic layouts, and secure distinct competitive advantages.
Working alongside Fredrik has been a great honor, and I sincerely hope we will have chances to collaborate again in the future.
About
Fredrik Limsäter
I've spent nearly two decades founding companies, raising capital in tough markets and building teams across the world. I founded ftrack in 2011 and led it all the way to an acquisition by PSG Equity in 2021. Somewhere in there I picked up an Academy Award for innovation (yes, the real kind).
The core team was always in Stockholm. Along the way we set up our own subsidiaries and teams in the US, China, Canada and the UK, made a strategic product acquisition in Australia and led remote teams across the world - and the US became our largest market well before the exit. Today I work with founders, CEOs and boards to do the same, only faster - as board chair, advisor or executive, interim or permanent.
LinkedInInvestments
A few angel investments.
Alongside my operating and board work I hold a handful of small angel investments - some of them in companies where I've also held a role.
| Company | Year | Via |
|---|---|---|
| CyberResilient | 2026 | |
| Kovant | 2025 | Ampli |
| Spiich | 2025 | Ampli |
| Finch | 2025 | Ampli |
| ProfitMetrics | 2024 | Ampli |
| Startdeliver | 2023 | Ampli |
| CarCare | 2023 | Ampli |
| Devant | 2022 | |
| Syncle | 2022 | Ampli |
| Insurely | 2022 | Ampli |
| Big Audience Machine Former | 2024 - 2026 |
Let's talk.
Tell me where the company is and what's at stake. I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right person - and if I'm not, who might be.