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Johan Lenander chairman of TechSverige's new council

Public procurement

To promote public sector business with the tech industry, TechSverige has set up a new council, the Public Market Council. The council's chairman hopes that it will fill a concrete need for increased collaboration between the tech industry and the public sector, precisely where so many of society's most crucial future issues are decided.

- With around 1400 member companies behind us, we have a unique opportunity to gather the industry's experiences, perspectives and innovative power in a common voice, says Johan Lenander and continues:

- Public procurement has a huge turnover every year and has a direct impact on how our welfare, infrastructure and public services develop. This means that procurement needs to be seen not just as a formal process, but as a strategic tool for creating societal benefits.

Johan Lenander is the Swedish CEO of Tunstall, a provider of technology-based healthcare solutions and services operating in 17 countries. He sees the Public Market Council as an arena for driving change, highlighting good examples, identifying barriers and, perhaps most importantly, developing constructive solutions. It is an initiative that combines the practical knowledge of the industry with a long-term societal perspective.

What do you hope to achieve as Chair?

- I want to help us move from words to action. I hope that together with the industry, TechSverige and public actors, we can create a more open, trusting and forward-looking dialog around procurement. I want to see the Council become a hub for concrete initiatives that make a difference. These could include guidance, pilot projects, policy proposals or other forms of practical support to help both contracting authorities and suppliers make better, more sustainable decisions. I also hope that we can help change the perception of public procurement from something cumbersome and rule-driven to something strategic and community-building. Procurement should be a catalyst for innovation and sustainability, not a barrier.

What do you see as the biggest challenge?

- In my view, it is not a lack of will but a lack of conditions and consensus. Many in the public sector really want to do the right thing and create value, but they are often pressured by time, resources and regulations that in practice steer towards short-term solutions and a low-price focus. At the same time, suppliers often find that procurement processes lack flexibility and understanding of the possibilities of technology. This creates frustration and sometimes mistrust, which in turn inhibits both innovation and collaboration. So our challenge is to bridge these perspectives. To create greater understanding and trust between the parties. This requires more dialog, joint skills development and a willingness to test new ways of working. If we succeed, we can unlock enormous potential, both for the public sector and for the tech industry.