Wallmans - Mikael Gordon-Solfors

Mikael Gordon-Solfors

Mikael Gordon Solfors is the group deputy CEO.

Today he sits on the Boards of Directors of the Wallmans Nöjen Group, MAX Hamburger Restaurants, Martin Stenmarck and DINNERS.

When Hasse Wallman was planning to open up Wallmans Salonger on Teatergatan in Stockholm, he needed an entrepreneur to help him push the project through. Hasse went down to Majorca in 1991 where he headhunted 25 year old Mikael Gordon-Solfors, who was hotel manager of what was then the best show hotel (Sunwing Hotel 33) where all service, pool, sport and restaurant personnel were also artists.

Mikael started as proprietor of Club 13 on Majorca and carved out a career in the travel industry, culminating in a position as hotel manager with Sunwing. Artists that he has worked with include Meja, Fred Johansson, Jocke Bergström,

Micke Grahn, Jan Johanssen, Lilling Palmeklint, Hanna Wanngård and Andes ”Butta” Börjesson. And as if having top artists and shows was not enough, the shows were accompanied by hand-picked live bands – including name bands such as Off Duty and Desotos - who were booked for a whole season at a time. Another curiosity is that even back then, Micke Svahn was a hand-picked audition pianist. In fact, many of the artists who have subsequently become established names with Wallmans commenced their careers by successfully auditioning for Sunwing, including Micke Grahn, Malin Bäckström, Anna Carlsson, Fred Johansson, Jocke Bergström, Micke Svahn, Janne Johansen, Thomas Ringvall, Anette Lindh and many more.

Mikael Solfors was raised in Täby, just outside Stockholm. In his schooldays he played basketball for a local team. He is also a good drummer and can sometimes be seen performing in the summer with the After Beach band at Sandhamn.