CVC’s office in Stockholm. Tomas Ekman, Partner at CVC, Cecilia Gross Friberger, Investment Director at AP6 and head of the collaboration with CVC, Malin Källström Säfweräng, Investment Director at AP6.
Photos: Johan Olsson

CVC is a global private equity firm that likes to collaborate with local investors. Its regional offices play a key role. CVC likes the fact that AP6 focuses on both fund investments and direct investments and sees a lot of potential in collaboration.

“All investors are unique, but AP6 stands out because it focuses on both fund investments and direct investments. As an active investor in unlisted assets, with an interest in co-investment, we feel that our interests are very well aligned with AP6,” says Tomas Ekman, partner at CVC.CVC’s global structure is based on regional, relatively autonomous offices.  Tomas Ekman feels that the combination of individual drive and team spirit is an important part of CVC’s focus.
“If I were to choose two characteristics that describe us, they would be individual drive and team spirit. It’s what has set the tone right from the very start and it affects how not only how we choose investments, but also which employees we hire,” explains Tomas Ekman.

Tomas Ekman says that the organization is fuelled by dedicated, motivated employees who have both individual drive and are very loyal to the company.
“There’s a lot of freedom for divergent opinions and participation at our investment committee meetings. Everyone gets involved and discussions can become quite lively! But there is also a very important, serious dimension as well. By that, I mean that only the best investment concepts will survive when the debate forum is so intense. And I regard that as a sign of strength,” says Tomas Ekman.
It brings discussion around to the benefits that can be derived from collaboration between AP6 and CVC’s offices in Copenhagen and Stockholm.
“We have many partnership deals in the Nordic region. AP6 would like to make co-investments with us and we like the idea,” says Tomas Ekman.

Cecilia Gross Friberger and Malin Källström Säfweräng concur. At AP6, Cecilia works with fund investments, and Malin works with direct investments.
“CVC is a global player with experienced investment teams and committed regional offices. It has convinced us that collaboration with them will be successful,” says Cecilia Gross Friberger, Investment Director at AP6 and head of the collaboration with CVC.
CVC’s acquisitions of companies in the Nordic region has given it both diversification and a good spread. Examples are Ahlsell and Paroc (industry), Synsam (optical retailer) and Etraveli (online travel agency).
“We really value that CVC’s regional offices are so independent and motivated. This applies to the co-investment opportunities in particular,” says Malin Källström Säfweräng, Investment Director at AP6.
Because CVC’s regional offices have so much autonomy, each one is unique and stands out in a specific way.
“I think that those of us working at the Stockholm office are quite entrepreneurial. We believe that it makes us a good match for AP6, which has invested in unlisted assets for 20 years. Although AP6’s focus is more on buyouts, it has always interfaced with companies, both large and small. We like that level of diversification and breadth, in general. For a state-owned pension fund manager, we find that to be quite interesting. I’m absolutely convinced that we will complement one another very well,” says Tomas Ekman.