SWEDEN – Skandia’s Jan-Mikael Bexhed, who steered a prominent pan-European pensions test case through the European Court of Justice, is stepping down as general counsel at the company.

“After 20 years of committed service to the Skandia group, Jan-Mikael Bexhed, executive vice president and general counsel, is stepping down from the executive management board, but will continue working with legal issues within the group on a part-time basis,” Skandia said.

Helena Nelson, a Skandia employee since 1994, takes over as general counsel and secretary to the board of directors.

Bexhed, who was shortlisted for the 2004 IPE Awards for his role in ‘the Skandia case’, brought the case on behalf of the company and Ola Ramstedt, the then chief executive of Skandia Liv.

They took on the Swedish government over the right for employers to claim tax deductions for premiums toward occupational pension plans sold by life assurance companies domiciled in another EU country.

The ECJ ruled in their favour in June 2003, with Sweden’s Supreme Administrative Court upholding the decision about a year later.

The Skandia case was one of a series of cases brought before the ECJ to test the pan-European pensions market. There was also the Danner and Bachmann cases.

After serving as an assistant judge and committee secretary with the Swedish Ministry of Finance, Bexhed joined Skandia as a corporate counsel in 1985, becoming general counsel 10 years later.

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