Mats Malm is the new permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy

Mats Malm, who is a professor at Gothenburg university, took his entry in the Swedish Academy on december 20, 2018. Just four months later he has now been elected to the new permanent secretary, the department's highest post.

" I am very happy about the confidence and looking forward to take up the prestigious assignment as the Swedish Academy's permanent secretary, says Mats Malm in a press release.

" I will be, along with the Academy members and employees continue with the important change that the Academy has embarked on.

the Secretary is the Swedish Academy, the executive member and at the same time its spokesperson to the outside. The person who holds the job receives also a full-time salary, which currently is at more than 100,000 crowns a month.

in the morning, before the election of a new secretary, published, in contact with the Mats Malm. He would neither comment on the question of who would be the new secretary, or if he was interested in the job.

" I'm going to devote the next month to put me into the mission, and can say more when I start work in June, writes Mats Malm later in the day in an email to DN.

Mats Malm also says to TT to his regular work probably will not be possible to combine with the task as permanent secretary.

" I expect to leave the things I do in Gothenburg at the university. It is the starting point. The Swedish literature bank we shall see, it is very close to my heart, but we see across all parts of the business here in order to find the best solution, " says Mats Ore to TT.

the permanent secretary on 1 June, in connection with the present permanent secretary Anders Olsson is leaving the post. Olsson comments on Friday the choice of his successor and say they have a high opinion of Mats Malm.

" He is a very competent person, who has been director for the Swedish literature bank for a long time and a professor of comparative literature. He has very extensive experience when it comes to administration. It is an advantage. And is used to appearing in public. He is calm and has a firm direction in her work that is appealing, " says Anders Olsson to the DN.

– It can think. But he has said proved hugely receptive here, and it's funny that he shows himself so interested to take this job. We will support him in any way we can, and we discuss in some detail what you can do to ease the burden on the secretary, which is very heavy right now.

" It's probably good. It will facilitate his work much that he does not have the burden to bear.

Only three current members of the Academy are under 70 years of age, and have thus been able to be current for the post of permanent secretary. Lawyer Eric M Runesson has previously announced that he is not interested in the mission, and in the end was the discussions between the language researcher Tomas Riad and Mats Malm. What the voting figures were during Thursday's meeting, when a decision was taken, the Academy has not wanted to comment.