Meet Mattias Meyer – Talent acquisition partner
What made you choose to join Stegra? It’s a question Mattias Meyer asks new colleagues at the start of their journey with the company. After hearing countless answers, he started thinking about his own. For Mattias, the answer starts in Norrbotten – and with wanting to build a future where the next generation has more reasons to stay.
Mattias grew up in different parts of Luleå, with his roots in Lerbäcken and Hertsön, right in the heart of Sweden’s steel country.
“Growing up in Luleå, steel is just part of everyday life. You see the iron ore trains passing by, you see how neighborhoods have developed around the industry, and a lot of my friends had parents working at the steel mill.”
But while Norrbotten has always been home, Mattias jokes that he has never quite fit the stereotypical image of a northerner.
“I don’t own a snowmobile. I don’t spend my weekends skiing in the mountains. I don’t fish, and I’m definitely not out chasing the perfect northern lights photo.”
He has also lived in London and Stockholm. Those years gave him new experiences, but also a different perspective on the place he came from.
“There’s more to Norrbotten than the postcard version of the north. For me, it’s about the people and having everything close by. People look you in the eye and say hello on the street. Your closest friends and family might be just 10 or 15 minutes away. There’s something very real about life here.”
From moving south to building in the north
When Mattias graduated from high school, shortly after the financial crisis, the outlook in northern Sweden looked very different. Jobs were scarce, and many of his friends moved south or abroad. For a long time, leaving Norrbotten was seen by many young people as the natural way to find new opportunities. Today, Mattias sees a different future taking shape. Across Norrbotten, new industrial projects and infrastructure are being developed, bringing new jobs, skills and people to the region. For Mattias, being part of that development was a strong reason to join.
“We have an opportunity to change how steel is made while also creating new opportunities here in the north. Will that journey be easy? No. But who doesn’t love a great challenge? Someone has to break ground, face the unknown and show what’s possible. Our aim is to prove that near-zero emission steel can be produced at scale.”
Creating more reasons to stay
Working in talent acquisition puts Mattias at the heart of another part of the transformation: the people choosing to become part of it. Stegra is bringing together people with different professions, experiences and backgrounds to build and eventually operate the plant in Boden. For Mattias, every new colleague represents something bigger than filling a position.
His own motivation is also deeply personal.
“Since joining Stegra, my purpose has been clear. I want my kids to feel like they have options. When they graduate from school, I want staying in Norrbotten to be one of them. I want them to feel that they can build their future here at home.”