It all comes back to the DNA.
The firms that know who they are will know who to be.
You can learn a lot about an investment firm by listening to what they say.
Alt Goes Mainstream’s AGM Originals Series - The DNA: Capturing Culture - is dedicated to capturing the DNA of a firm by listening to what they say.
The first season of The DNA stars EQT. In Stockholm, at EQT’s AIM this past summer, I sat down for conversations with nine EQT executives.
Each executive came from different parts of the firm — and different parts of the world.
Each had fascinating backgrounds and stories about how they ended up in private markets and worked to build EQT.
But there was a single throughline threaded throughout all of the discussions: the consistency and frequency that each executive talked about the firm’s mission, vision, culture, and values.
That’s why it all comes back to the DNA.
Episode 1 features EQT Founder and Chairperson Conni Jonsson.
Conni founded EQT Partners AB in 1994. He has been Managing Partner since the company's foundation and as from March 1, 2014, Conni is full time working Chairperson.
Prior to founding EQT Partners AB, Conni was employed by the Wallenberg Family Holding Company for seven years as Executive Vice President.
Conni Jonsson graduated from the University of Linkoping in 1984, Bachelor of Science with majors in Economic Analysis and Accounting & Finance, and he has participated in the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School.
Please enjoy this conversation with one of the industry's leaders in Conni Jonsson.
You can stream all the episodes on AGM’s YouTube channel at AltGoesMainstreamAGM.
Show Notes
00:00 The DNA: Capturing Culture Episode 1
00:21 EQT's Origins and Global Reach
01:38 Conni Jonsson's Background and Journey
02:00 Founding EQT: Embracing Uniqueness
04:03 Balancing Responsibility and Financial Outcomes
05:09 The Wallenberg Family's Influence
06:36 Long-Term Thinking in Investing
07:20 Operationalizing Long-Term Values
08:13 EQT's Distinct Investment Approach
10:12 The Importance of Culture in Business
11:28 EQT's Focus on Core Competencies
12:53 Global Investment Strategies
13:20 Engaging with Institutional and Wealth Investors
14:15 Educating the Wealth Channel
17:10 Diversification and Global Exposure
18:19 Investing in Asia: Structural Alpha
20:40 Mitigating Political Risks
20:47 Future Skills in Private Markets
22:51 Aligning Good Business with Good Returns
24:38 Conclusion: The Winner Takes It All