“A step in evolution” – Johan Haglund helps clients and Sofigators tap into technology and AI
Johan Haglund started his career as ‘the IT support guy’. His background in helping others has taught him how people think when faced with challenges and change. Now, as CTO of the ServiceNow platform at Sofigate Sweden, he ensures that clients and Sofigators stay open to change – and benefit from the latest technological innovations.
Johan Haglund is not easily spooked, at least not by IT issues, technical updates or the constant demand to keep up with developing software. However, there is one thing he dreads: the day he stops learning.
“I’m not that young anymore, closer to retirement than my starting years. But I’m even more eager to take on new things. This is a choice, really. Being open to change is essential in today’s working life,” he says.
As a Senior Advisor and CTO of the ServiceNow business at Sofigate Sweden, Haglund believes in utilising technology, automation, and AI to the fullest. Yet, he thinks that the goal shouldn’t be to give everything to AI and lose human connection, but to increase it with the help of AI.
From “the IT support guy” to business development
Haglund started his career in IT services at Ericsson and Hewlett Packard at the turn of the millennium.
“I started at a service desk – I was the IT support guy you would call when you had problems with your computer. This background has benefited me to this day. It taught me to understand people and how we tend to think when faced with challenges and change,” he says.
Today, Haglund continues to support others as an experienced business technology expert and trusted colleague at Sofigate. As CTO, he ensures the ServiceNow platform’s features are utilised in both internal and client work. As a Senior Advisor, he also guides customers with strategic decisions and practical questions regarding the platform.
Haglund says he appreciates this mix of service development and customer work.
“I always focus on how we can improve, what’s new with the platform, and how to get our team up to speed. Most importantly, I consider how we can help our customers leverage the latest opportunities in their projects,” he explains.
“A game changer” – entering the era of AI agents
Haglund has witnessed nearly the entire development of ServiceNow since the late 2000s. However, everything is now changing with the arrival of a significant new player: AI and its agents.
Haglund is proud to work for a company that is among first in its field to explore and pilot the possibilities of AI agents – first internally to master the best use cases, and later with customers to help them make use of the self-performing AI colleagues.
“AI is a game changer, almost a step in evolution. It is a major shift in how we work, as we now train agents to perform tasks independently and act as users in our platforms. This requires an even deeper understanding of use cases and customer needs. It also means that human expertise is becoming more crucial, not less”, he says.
AI agents can efficiently handle manual and time-consuming tasks. In IT, they can resolve people’s technical issues or order new equipment for them, independently contacting and asking for permissions from necessary personnel. In HR, they can assist with policy questions and manage leave requests, for example.
“They can also support leadership, for example, in reporting and data-based decision making. The key is to identify the best use cases – and automate tasks that are tedious, not the ones we enjoy and excel at”, he says.
From work to AI-managed kids’ carpool
Haglund is known for eagerly finding use cases for automation and AI both on and off work. In 2020, he and his team helped the Swedish Public Employment Service to explore and implement digital case managers for monitoring jobseekers’ processes. These automations now handle cases complying with regulations and reducing erroneous benefit payments.
“A potential next step is to explore how AI can take this even further — not just optimize logistics but also support each agent in the process in making smarter, faster decisions. We’re constantly on the lookout for new use cases where AI can adapt, learn, and improve how we work.”
Haglund’s personal AI use cases extend from daily work tasks to running an AI-powered kids’ football carpool ring.
“I’m a football coach for my youngest daughter’s team, and she also competes in swimming. Arranging rides to different fields and venues is always a hassle. To make things easier, I built a logistics bot using ChatGPT. Now I use it to coordinate schedules and plan routes — hassle-free,” he says with a smile.
Haglund just celebrated his ten-year anniversary at the company. Can a Senior Advisor still find new ways to grow?
“Yes, definitely. We have inspiring and challenging projects and a supportive, open culture. As a senior, I highly value the perspectives of younger colleagues; a mix of perspectives is essential, we learn from each other. Most importantly, you need to have fun at work – and we do.”
About the interviewee
Johan Haglund brings over two decades of hands-on experience in business technology – from solving IT issues at a service desk to driving platform strategy as CTO of Sofigate Sweden’s ServiceNow business. Curious by nature and driven to learn, he’s constantly on the lookout for smarter ways of working – and ensures that both our clients and teams make the most of automation, AI and platform capabilities.
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