TicketCo has appointed Johann Ingi Gunnarsson as our first-ever Chief Product Officer (CPO). With a strong background in fintech innovation and product leadership, Johann joins us to spearhead our product strategy and enhance the fan journey for sports clubs across Europe.
Executive Summary
- New Leadership: Johann Ingi Gunnarsson joins TicketCo as Chief Product Officer (CPO), a newly created strategic role.
- Fintech Expertise: Johann brings over a decade of experience from high-growth fintech companies, including Ohpen and Ninety Nine.
- Strategic Focus: His priority is to balance immediate customer needs with long-term innovation, focusing on the complete fan journey and helping us build the best fan journey in the world.
- Future Roadmap: He aims to implement clear quarterly roadmaps to improve transparency for partners and customers.
With the appointment of Johann Ingi Gunnarsson, TicketCo strengthens its long-term commitment to building a modern, scalable ticketing platform designed for professional sports clubs across Europe.
Who is Johann Ingi Gunnarsson?
Johann Ingi Gunnarsson is a dynamic and personable technology leader originally from Iceland, known as much for his warmth and humour as for his strategic expertise. For more than a decade now, Johann has lived and worked in some of Europe’s most vibrant cities, spending a significant period in the Netherlands before settling in Barcelona, where he currently lives and works.
His professional journey has seen him rise rapidly through the fintech and medtech sectors, evolving from hands-on software engineering to senior product leadership roles. Johann’s career highlights include scaling Ohpen, the world’s first cloud banking platform, from junior developer to Chapter Lead of Engineering, and steering the fintech company Niney Nine through a major pivot that ultimately led to its acquisition by JP Morgan Chase.
Outside of the tech world, Johann’s passion for sport is unmistakable. He has been a devoted Manchester United supporter since the age of six, a rivalry sparked by having a best friend who supported Liverpool. He is also a lifelong fan of the Icelandic national football team and cherishes their unforgettable underdog journey at the 2016 European Championship, where they captured the imagination of fans worldwide. Whether attending matches, watching from afar, or eagerly following fantasy football, Johann brings a true fan’s enthusiasm to everything he does.
With this rich blend of technical expertise and genuine love for sport, Johann joins TicketCo ready to champion both product innovation and the importance of the fan experience.
→ Learn why clubs across Europe choose TicketCo as their long-term ticketing partner
Why has TicketCo created the CPO role?
The Chief Product Officer role is a new addition to TicketCo’s C-suite, designed to bridge the gap between commercial goals, customer success, and engineering capabilities.
While TicketCo’s CTO focuses on technical execution, the CPO role is dedicated to the "why" and "what" of product development. Johann’s responsibility is to ensure that every feature built aligns with actual customer problems and future market demands. This strategic addition signals TicketCo's commitment to maturing its product organisation and delivering world-class solutions for the sports industry.
→ Explore how TicketCo helps clubs optimise the full matchday experience
What is Johann Ingi Gunnarsson’s vision for TicketCo?
Johann’s vision centres on structure, transparency, and the holistic fan journey. He aims to move beyond simple ticketing to comprehensive event experiences.
Key pillars of his vision include:
- Transparency: Establishing clear, quarterly roadmaps so customers know exactly what features are coming and when.
- Long-term Value: Looking beyond immediate requests to anticipate what our partner clubs will need two to three years from now.
- Upselling & Experience: Enhancing the platform to support the full matchday experience, from booking pre-match dining to post-match transport.
How does fintech experience apply to ticketing?
Although new to the ticketing industry, Johann believes the challenges in ticketing mirror those in fintech: the need for reliability, speed, and user-centric innovation.
"What you see in ticketing is what you see in every other industry," Johann explains. "You have huge legacy incumbents with old procedures, and then you have agile players who can move faster."
His experience in building secure, high-volume trading platforms at Ninety Nine and banking infrastructure at Ohpen provides the perfect foundation for handling the high-traffic, high-stakes nature of ticket sales. He brings a rigour to product architecture that ensures TicketCo remains robust while innovating faster than legacy competitors.
→ See how the TicketCo platform supports modern clubs and growing demands
Conclusion
The appointment of Johann Ingi Gunnarsson marks a significant milestone in TicketCo’s growth. By introducing dedicated product leadership, we are better positioned to listen to our customers, innovate with purpose, and maintain our position as a major challenger in the ticketing industry. We look forward to the structure and vision Johann brings to the team as we move into 2026, where our vision is crystal clear: To build the best fan journey in the world.
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