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Improvement Leadership. Cross-Silo Enterprise Architecture. Real Value.
Specialized in cutting through complexity, leading improvements across silos, and turning compliance into trust - always with business value at the core.
I’m an passionate and experienced Improvement Leader, Enterprise Architect, and Business Strategist with a foundation in IT. I unite business, compliance, and IT into one coherent movement - with clarity, structure, and engagement.
I’m an passionate and experienced Improvement Leader, Enterprise Architect, and Business Strategist with a foundation in IT. I unite business, compliance, and IT into one coherent movement - with clarity, structure, and engagement.
People, purpose, and true business value are always at the center of my work.
At a glance - Key facts about my work, impact, and expertise
At a glance - Key facts about my work, impact, and expertise
I am an improvement leader, enterprise architect, and strategist with 22+ years of experience in driving change that impacts millions of people. From reshaping Swedish governance and financial compliance to training leaders, building cross-silo organizations, and pioneering new technology, my work consistently turns complexity into clarity and purpose into real business value.
🏛️ Shaping the Future of Architecture - Board member of IASA Sweden, defining international standards, certifications, and education in enterprise architecture. I don’t just practice architecture - I help define what it is.
👥 Proven Leadership - Former line manager and program leader for 120+ people, with experience in building high-performing teams, coaching leaders, and driving cross-silo transformation with clarity and structure.
🚀 Entrepreneurial Impact - Founded and ran my own consultancy for over a decade, delivering 70+ projects across finance, public sector, and private industry - always focused on measurable improvement and real business value.
🌍 Global Perspective - Collaborated with Hans Rosling to turn complex global statistics into human-centered insights, bridging data, storytelling, and digital platforms for education and social impact.
🎤 Speaker & Educator - Trained hundreds of professionals in enterprise architecture and improvement leadership. Redesigned Försvarsmakten (Swedish Armed Forces) core processes for planning, logistics, and governance, while also educating their teams. Certified in rhetoric under David JP Phillips, where I achieved the highest score of the program.
⚖️ Transforming Governance - Redefined Sweden’s Förvaltningslagen (Administrative Procedure Act), created the åtagandemodell (Commitment Model) at Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency), digitized government case handling, and reshaped Finansdepartementet (Ministry of Finance) budget processes - improvements still impacting millions of citizens today.
💼 Financial Sector Expertise - Defined Handelsbanken’s AML processes, delivered Solvency II compliance at Anticimex, and led architecture and change at Nordea - securing compliance and trust in mission-critical operations.
🔐 Compliance as Value - Contributed to Sweden’s GDPR implementation, including defining the data portability requirement for Datainspektionen (now IMY, Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection). I transform regulation into trust, transparency, and competitive advantage.
🤖 Technology & Innovation - Always at the forefront of modern technology, from AI, data governance and lakes, to in real life gaming concepts developed years before Pokémon Go. Proven ability to merge cutting-edge tech with architecture, strategy, and real business impact.
My credo: Leading improvement, not just change
My credo: Leading improvement, not just change
"Instead of starting with the solution you don’t know, find the common purpose you want to serve."
Too many organizations rush into solutions without first defining their shared purpose. The result? Misaligned efforts, fragmented initiatives, and projects that fail to deliver value. The Standish Group shows that only about 30% of projects succeed in delivering true business value (Standish Group, 2020). McKinsey confirms that organizations which anchor improvements in a clear purpose are more than twice as likely to succeed (McKinsey, 2021). Purpose is not optional, it is the foundation of progress.
That is why I never speak of "change management". Change drains energy. I lead improvement management, because improvement inspires. It creates meaning, ownership, and motivation. It turns complexity into something that people can understand, manage, and act upon.
The science is clear. When people understand the purpose, the brain’s frontal cortex engages, stress levels fall, and motivation rises. Antonovsky called this "coherence", the sense that things are comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful (Antonovsky, 1996). Coherence is not only psychology, it is biology - and it is the key to sustainable performance.
The same principle applies in governance. Compliance is often seen as a burden, but in reality it is a trust enabler. Frameworks like GDPR, Solvency and AML strengthen confidence and transparency between organizations and stakeholders (Encentra, GDPR Essentials 2024). Similarly, enterprise architecture is not about technology delivery but about setting direction, creating clarity across silos, and aligning business with IT (Encentra, Ending the Eternal War 2024).
This is my role and my passion: I am an improvement leader. I help organizations cut through complexity, unite business and IT, and turn compliance into a driver of trust and resilience. I design architectures that provide direction, lead improvements that energize people, and build the coherence that creates true business value. This is the intersection where I work, research, and teach - and it is why this is my credo.
As Peter Drucker said: "The best way to predict the future is to create it."
//Johan Hildingson (formerly Lagerström), Enterprise and Management Enthusiast
The complexity of business in one image
The complexity of business in one image
Caption: Business is a complex phenomenon. It consists of many parts that need to coexist and interact. Not only is the internal perspective needed in order to understand the business itself, you also need to understand the world around the business and how the business interacts with it. In summary, it is all about understanding conditions, opportunities, missions, needs, resources, mandates, and roadmaps - and getting there through people, plans, rules, processes, information, data, assets, tools, and solutions. Strategy and culture must match, which is achieved through efficient communication (i.e., uniting people and creating the common foundation). "A goal without a plan is just a wish" (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1930).
What is my passion?
What is my passion?
It is said that your calling in life is the union of what you are good at, what gives value to others and what makes you feel appreciated. (Ikigai) (Dave Isay, 2016)
For the past 22+ years, I have mainly worked as a consultant in the borderland between business and IT, with the main focus on enterprise development. This includes management (change, project, program, lead, manager etc.), analysis (architecture, requirement, process, business, etc.), and facilitation (workshop, change, management, etc.). All with the main goal of adding true business value through people, resources and solutions - and increasingly, through compliance.
The client and its as-is state, culture, and needs are always important for me. This because the as-is state sets the starting point and makes it possible to find what is needed (e.g., the purpose, requirements and improvements), how it should be done (i.e., processes, implementations, culture, people, and compliance etc.) and the deeply desired to-be state (i.e., containing the true business value and common purpose).
So simply put; my passion lies here...
Caption: Development is more than just defining business and IT requirements. It’s about understanding the business, meeting its needs with effective solutions, and aligning with the goal of fulfilling its core purpose, strategies, and vision. My passion lies at the intersection of business, IT, and compliance - where Change Management and Enterprise Architecture converge. Personally, I prefer the term "Improvement Management," as it emphasizes driving progress and energizing those involved to create meaningful and enduring value. Unlike change, which often consumes energy, improvement motivates and engages people, fostering a sense of purpose and achievement.
Core services
Core services
Improvement Leadership and Change
Improvement Leadership and Change
I lead improvements at enterprise and program level, combining change leadership, project management, and facilitation with modern frameworks such as SCRUM and SAFe. My expertise includes stakeholder and impact analysis, risk assessment, strategy, tactics and operations, backlog management, and target prioritization. I coach and develop teams, drive workshops, and apply advanced presentation, rhetoric, and motivation techniques to create engagement. With experience in Lean, ITIL, Jira, Confluence, and knowledge sharing, I ensure that improvements are not only delivered but also sustained. Beyond methods and frameworks, my focus is on creating coherence across silos, aligning people with purpose, and making sure that every improvement contributes to real and lasting business value.
Enterprise Architecture and Business Development
Enterprise Architecture and Business Development
I work with enterprise architecture and business development by uniting strategic clarity with hands-on modeling. My experience spans workshops, process modeling, activity models, entity-relationship, capabilities, value streams and information models, data models, goal analysis, requirements, epics, use cases, user stories, acceptance criteria, and state diagrams. I analyze and define actors, customers, and users, create mockups, and document functional and non-functional requirements. Using tools such as Visio, Sparx EA, UML, TOGAF, and Astrakan, I bridge the gap between as-is and to-be states, guided by steering documents, UX insights, and architectural principles that turn structures into real business value. My focus is on connecting strategy to execution, breaking down silos, and ensuring that architecture actively drives improvement and long-term impact.
IT Architecture and Delivery Support
IT Architecture and Delivery Support
While my core focus is improvement leadership and enterprise architecture, I also bring strong technical knowledge that enables me to bridge business, compliance, and IT. I have hands-on experience in data governance, data management, and security, as well as data warehouses, data lakes, and information catalogues. I understand prototyping, testing, lean and agile development, cloud platforms (AWS), and system integration. My background in programming (Java, C#, C++, Python, PHP, .NET, React, SQL, XML/XSLT, Basic, etc.) and repositories (Git, SVN) allows me to communicate effectively with developers and technical teams. This competence is not about doing detailed solution design - it is about ensuring that delivery aligns with enterprise direction, governance, and true business value.
Companies, clients and projects
Companies, clients and projects
I have worked with a wide range from private sector to governments and public institutions, often with a focus on compliance and economics. In total more than 70 projects. Feel free to check out my LinkedIn for the full list of projects.
Caption: Above are some of the companies, clients and projects I have worked with. In some cases I have been employed, in other cases I have been a consultant, employed consultant or sub-consultant.
Testimonials and recommendations
Testimonials and recommendations
Over the years, I have received several recommendations. Below some of them are listed. Feel free to check out my LinkedIn for more testimonials and recommendations.
"I highly recommend Johan"
"I highly recommend Johan"
Johan did an outstanding job mapping our data flows, with the aim of improving oversight and finding an effective way to manage information. He maintained an excellent dialogue with our business units and delivered a top-notch result. I highly recommend Johan!
"Great ability to communicate..."
"Great ability to communicate..."
Johan methodically advanced the project with his structured approach through interviews, analyses, and compilations, ultimately delivering a impressive result with valuable insights. I highly recommend Johan, who excels in the intersection between business and IT, ...
"Strong ability to navigate complex issues..."
"Strong ability to navigate complex issues..."
I highly recommend Johan as a highly professional change manager and enterprise architect with a strong ability to navigate complex issues and steer them towards a common goal with effective solutions. Johan is perceptive and attentive, always considering the bigger picture and prioritizing the best interests of the organization.
"You are brilliant, Johan!"
"You are brilliant, Johan!"
During a course in modern presentation techniques with David JP Philips, focused on advanced rhetoric, motivation, and public speaking, Johan was awarded best speaker of the group.
//David JP Philips.
"Positive, structured, and with excellent collaboration skills..."
"Positive, structured, and with excellent collaboration skills..."
Johan showed strong drive [---] and iterated with the group to find solutions. The work Johan contributed to is now a cornerstone in the modernization project!
"Highly skilled Business Analyst..."
"Highly skilled Business Analyst..."
Johan is highly skilled in the area of Business Analysis. His analytical skills and technical know-how, mixed with a result-oriented mindset, enabled us to deliver the project well within the customer’s expectations...
"Johan is an excellent project manager..."
"Johan is an excellent project manager..."
...who manages to pursue complex issues even in a bit of a messy situation. His high competence in Data Management contributes to his ability to prioritize the right issues and work with what actually has an effect...
"It was a real pleasure to work with Johan..."
"It was a real pleasure to work with Johan..."
... He has the ability to quickly get acquainted with a business, sees the needs from the big picture and gets down to the details. Asks the right questions and doesn't give up until everything is clear...
"...most full-fledged IT consultant I've worked with..."
"...most full-fledged IT consultant I've worked with..."
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Johan as our main IT Consultant, developer and project manager over the last 6+ years. Johan is without a doubt the most full-fledged IT Consultant I've worked with...
"Johan makes strong and quality-assured contributions in all contexts..."
"Johan makes strong and quality-assured contributions in all contexts..."
Johan is a goal oriented person with great drive and will to change. He leads a group and business towards the goal, through drive, experience and leadership. Johan sees the whole picture and its issues, understands where changes should be made to create the most value...
"He quickly becomes a great and highly valuable asset in the team"
"He quickly becomes a great and highly valuable asset in the team"
Johan's deep knowledge in requirements and process work gives, together with technical knowledge, a unique profile. Johan is very structured and has a methodology that repeatedly delivers high quality...
"Johan is with his nice and positive attitude very easy to work with"
"Johan is with his nice and positive attitude very easy to work with"
Johan has the capacity to quickly get acquainted with complex issues and process them both technically and operationally. He has an ability to see the whole picture, pursue issues by facilitating, visualizing and documenting in a very accurate way...
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your kind words. Thank you <3! Sincerely. //Johan
Insights and articles
Insights and articles
Want to dive deeper into my expertise and perspectives? Here, I share articles, models, and reflections on improvement leadership, enterprise architecture, and compliance as a value driver. Each article connects theory with practice - always with true business value at the core.
Ending the eternal war: The clash between business, IT, and organizational silos
Ending the eternal war: The clash between business, IT, and organizational silos
Business and IT often appear to be in conflict, but the real issue lies in silos that block cooperation and create friction. In this article, I explore how organizations can dismantle these barriers by uniting strategy, architecture, and compliance around a shared purpose. I show how improvement leadership and enterprise architecture provide the tools to transform fragmentation into coherence, enabling people to work together instead of against each other. With clear direction, cross-silo alignment, and frequent deliveries, business and IT can finally stop fighting a war and start creating lasting value together...
The difference between Data and Information (UML-aligned)
The difference between Data and Information (UML-aligned)
Data and information are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same - and confusing them can create major risks in both business and IT. Data is raw material, while information is structured meaning that people can use to make decisions. In this article, I explain the difference from an enterprise architecture perspective, showing how UML concepts such as entities, attributes, and relationships help create clarity. I also connect theory to practice by describing how data becomes information in processes, systems, and GUIs. By understanding this distinction, organizations can strengthen governance, improve quality, and unlock better business value...
AML2024 - Compliance as a value driver
AML2024 - Compliance as a value driver
Compliance is often viewed as a cost or an obstacle, but in reality it can be a powerful enabler of trust and resilience. In this article, I analyze the new EU AML directives and explain how governance can be transformed into a strategic advantage. By aligning compliance with business purpose, organizations not only meet regulatory requirements but also build credibility, transparency, and confidence with customers and partners. I highlight how enterprise architecture, data governance, and improvement leadership can turn rules into value drivers, creating a foundation for sustainable growth in a complex regulatory environment...
Competence and education
Competence and education
I began working as a consultant in IT development in 2005. Early on, I recognized the significant impact of agile management methodologies, user-centered design, and a focus on delivering true business value-areas that quickly became central to my professional interests. By 2008, I had expanded my focus to include business development, business intelligence (BI), facilitation, and management.
Academically, I hold both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Over the years, I have pursued continuous professional development, completing over 60 courses in business, architecture, and management, and earning more than 10 certifications. My experience spans participation in over 70 different projects.
I firmly believe that ongoing learning, reflection, and improvement are essential for driving meaningful impact.
Current perspective of this webpage
Current perspective of this webpage
While this site was originally focused on my consulting business, it now serves as my personal website. Here, I present my professional journey and share insights gained from years of experience in various roles, including enterprise architect, change manager, manager, business developer, and solution architect.
My unique strength lies in always maintaining a primary focus on business value - ensuring that every decision aligns with the company’s vision and operational goals. I excel at bridging the gap between business needs and IT solutions, combining a deep understanding of requirements with enterprise architecture and change management to deliver cohesive and impactful outcomes.
By providing the right tools, processes, solutions, methods, and support, I help businesses achieve real, value-driven results that are fully aligned with their strategic objectives. After all, isn’t that what drives true success in any organization?
The resume available here is my consultant resume, reflecting the journey that has defined who I am and what I do, even though I am no longer active as a consultant. I present my work through the lens of the projects and assignments I’ve completed, as I believe this says more about my competence and capabilities than titles alone. Each project has shaped my skills, deepened my knowledge, and driven my passion for delivering meaningful business and enterprise value.
Contact me
Contact me
Want more info, discuss true business value or have a Swedish fika? You are more than welcome to contact me.
Mail: johan@encentra.se
Phone: +4670 - 220 52 42
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hildingson
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