In Gävleborg County, Sweden, you’ll find Emil Wigren doing something few people ever think about—but everyone depends on: making sure the digital data behind our infrastructure is accurate, reliable, and ready for action.
Emil joined Geomatikk Sweden in 2012, right when the company opened its doors. Since then, his career has mirrored the company’s evolution—starting with customer service, moving into GIS data work, and now leading data management efforts across borders. Today, as Manager for Group GIS Data Management, he supports Sweden, Norway, and Finland in keeping the backbone of infrastructure data clean and consistent.
– It may be invisible to most people, but this work protects essential services,” Emil says. “If you want a working internet, clean water, or electricity, then good data is the starting point.
Translating Complexity into Clarit
Every week, over 400 network owners—companies that manage physical infrastructure—send their GIS data to Geomatikk. Emil’s job is to analyze, translate, and validate that data so it can be absorbed into the company’s systems. This process isn’t always straightforward.
The challenge? Not all providers speak the same “data language.” Some use rely on outdated formats or lack the in-house expertise to deliver usable datasets. Emil helps bridge that gap—sometimes quite literally.
Back in 2020, Geomatikk Sweden began using a new integration called GeoBridge which allows their system to connect directly with a network owner’s database and extract only the data needed, in real time. It was a major step forward from receiving full datasets every week or month. Today, that same solution is used across the group. And in Emil’s view,
– Instead of constantly moving files around, we let the systems talk to each other. That’s where we’re headed.
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Progress
With tools like FME and structured workflows, Emil and his team have automated many of the steps that used to be done manually. That shift has saved time, reduced errors, and even opened the door for new service models.
But technology is just one side of the story. Collaboration is what makes it work. Emil coordinates closely with teams in all three countries to make sure that quality standards are aligned, data formats are consistent, and everyone knows what’s expected.
The result? Smarter planning, better environmental decisions, and fewer surprises in the field
– If the data’s bad, technicians will have a harder time doing their job on site, Emil explains.
– We do our best to catch those issues before the data ever reaches operations.
Focus, Trust, and Real-World Impact
Emil prefers to keep his agenda open, so he can respond quickly to requests from developers, managers, or sales teams who rely on his analysis. He’s often approached in person, over Teams, or by phone throughout the day
But beyond technical skills, he highlights the importance of adaptable communication—adjusting how he explains things depending on whether he’s talking to a developer, a technician, or a data owner.
– Good communication is just as important as good data, he says
More than a decade in, Emil still finds motivation in the real-world impact of what he does. Because at the end of the day, his role is about helping society function smoothly—even if most people never realize it.
– That’s what I like about working here,” he adds. “When you care about the work, the opportunities are endless. The sky is the limit.
