Statement from the Nomination Committee on the proposed new Board
Kinnevik AB (publ) ("Kinnevik”) today announced that its Nomination Committee proposes the election of James Anderson as new Chairman of the Board and Harald Mix as new Director of the Board at the Annual General Meeting in April 2021. The Committee further proposes the re-election of Susanna Campbell, Brian McBride, Charlotte Strömberg and Cecilia Qvist as Directors of the Board. Dame Amelia Fawcett, Henrik Poulsen and Wilhelm Klingspor will not stand for re-election.
Anders Oscarsson, Chairman of the Nomination Committee, said:
” Last year, my colleagues and I set out to reshape the Board of Kinnevik, primarily focusing on recruiting individuals who represent innovative and global investment excellence. The timing has been fortuitous for us as shareholders. This morning it was announced that James Anderson will be leaving Baillie Gifford next April 2022 after what will have been an extraordinarily successful 39year career with the firm. In parallel, we are proud that James has accepted to stand as Chairman of Kinnevik already this year while he makes his transition.”
Reflecting on James’s long-term partnership with Kinnevik over the last 7 years, Cristina Stenbeck added:
” During our time serving together on the Nomination Committee since 2014, we have come to know James as the thoughtful individual responsible for building a sizeable ownership stake in Kinnevik. Today the Baillie Gifford clients own more than 27m shares and it is our understanding from our discussions with James during the recruitment process that it will be with the same bold and unwavering conviction that he and his team allocated capital into Kinnevik that he will soon lead the Board’s strategic and oversight work.”
Remarking on Kinnevik James Anderson said:
” I feel very fortunate to be nominated as the potential Chair of Kinnevik. I have long admired the company as a great exemplar of a patient, committed and quintessentially Swedish investment style. Kinnevik’s leadership has already made great strides towards embracing the abundant growth investments available given the repute it rightly enjoys and the permanent capital it can provide.”
Commenting on the nomination of Harald Mix to the Kinnevik Board, Anders Oscarsson added:
” I am equally delighted that Harald has accepted to join the Board at a time when his entrepreneurial approach to building the private equity group he founded, and his remarkable experience of creating sustainable and forward-looking companies operating at European scale are crucial dimensions to Kinnevik’s future.
Harald Mix said:
” I am honored to be nominated as a potential board member of Kinnevik. I believe the company has a unique position among Swedish investment companies based on its strong corporate culture, entrepreneurial DNA and committed long term owners.”
Anders concluded by saying:
” We are grateful to Dame Amelia Fawcett, Henrik Poulsen and Wilhelm Klingspor for their invaluable contributions to all levels of the company over many years. In the case of Wilhelm Klingspor, I and my fellow Committee members want to extend our special thanks for his long-standing engagement with Kinnevik and its associated companies over more than 30 years as founding family member and Director.”
For more information on our new proposed board members, see Kinnevik.com.
For further information, visit www.kinnevik.com or contact:
Torun Litzén, Director Investor Relations
Phone +46 (0)70 762 00 50
Email press@kinnevik.com
Kinnevik is an industry focused investment company with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our purpose is to make people’s lives better by providing more and better choice. In partnership with talented founders and management teams we build challenger businesses that use disruptive technology to address material, everyday consumer needs. As active owners, we believe in delivering both shareholder and social value by building long-term sustainable businesses that contribute positively to society. We invest in Europe, with a focus on the Nordics, the US, and selectively in other markets. Kinnevik was founded in 1936 by the Stenbeck, Klingspor and von Horn families. Kinnevik’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm’s list for large cap companies under the ticker codes KINV A and KINV B.