 Svanberg became CEO of Nyman & Schultz/Nordisk resebureau AB in 1976 and was managing director of Scandinavian Airlines from 1977 to 1979.From 1981 he was a senior partner of Scandinavian Aviation Consultants Scanavia.In 1938 he married Marianne Fick (1916–2005), the daughter of captain Henrik Fick and Sigrid (née Frenckell).