For the year’s first feature at Milrem, we would like to introduce our number one employee in Sweden, Joakim Hjeltström. No joke, 6.5 years ago, Joakim became the very first employee of our Swedish affiliate, joining our newly formed branch in Örnsköldsvik. But for Joakim, his career and interest in engineering started years, if not decades, before that. 

Growing up, both of Joakim’s parents were welders for 25 years. His mother worked at a large manufacturing plant, welding pipes for nuclear plants and oil rigs, while his father did similar welding work alongside mechanical servicing, engineering, and inventing. As Joakim was finishing high school, with his interest firmly set on engineering, his parents bought the workshop his father had been working in. For the next 15 years, including throughout his university studies, Joakim saw firsthand what it takes to run a small business, lead people, and create solutions. Perhaps that helps explain why today, Joakim is our Head of Strategic R&D. He did not join R&D; he was born into it, moulded by it. 

With a varied and diverse career path, Joakim stayed close to the defence sector and critical systems. He joined Milrem first as a consultant, and six months later as our first employee in Sweden, taking on the role of Lead Mechanical Engineer with a focus on Type X, now known as Vector RCV. Over time, Joakim moved into systems engineering, and for the past 1.5 years, he has served as Head of our Strategic R&D Department. 

That progression is also one of the things he highlights as what he likes most about Milrem. Throughout our journey, Milrem has given opportunities to those who want to take them. No one is hidden away doing the same thing forever. If you want it, seize it. Milrem will support you. 

Transitioning into people leadership has been enjoyable for Joakim. He says he takes after his mother quite a lot, who led the people side of their family business. He sees leadership as a chance to voice ideas and to give a voice to others. He also views management as an opportunity to bring great ideas to the table, make them even better, and together with the team, turn them into reality. 

In his team, Joakim values openness and forward-looking people. You are open about problems, issues, ideas, and successes. We share, we do not sit on things. We address them, we give everyone a voice, and we are fair. It is exactly this mindset that makes his team a great place for engineers who want to take ownership, grow quickly, and build what comes next with us. 

When asked what else he likes about Milrem, Joakim says, “I should probably say the people, but I think that is obvious, as is the cutting-edge technology in the defence market. It brightens the work. We are actually doing something that has not been defined, and we are part of something utterly unique in this domain.” 

It comes as no surprise to us here at Milrem that, for his leadership and drive to tackle challenging problems, Joakim was voted Outstanding Professional of the Year 2025. His contributions were summed up quite nicely: 

This individual consistently addresses issues that shape Milrem’s future, going beyond symptoms to tackle root causes and produce impactful, long-term solutions. He leads initiatives from inception to profitable results while empowering his team with clarity, empathy, and a culture where every voice matters. His calm, structured, and inclusive leadership improves collaboration, encourages innovation, and positively influences teams throughout the entire engineering organisation.