Website www.kinnevik.se Headquarters Stockholm, Sweden Subsidiaries Modern Times Group | Revenue 1.129 billion SEK (2015) Founded 1936 | |
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Type Public (Nasdaq Stockholm: KINV B) Key people Cristina Stenbeck, Principal Owner
Tom Boardman, Chairman
Joakim Andersson, Acting CEO, CFO CEO Lorenzo Grabau (May 2014–) Stock price KNVKF (OTCMKTS) US$ 26.20 +0.29 (+1.12%)13 Mar, 4:00 PM GMT-4 - Disclaimer Founders Hugo Stenbeck, Wilhelm Klingspor, Robert von Horn | ||
Kinnevik AB ([ɕɪnɛˈviːk]) is a Swedish investment company that was founded in 1936 by the Stenbeck, Klingspor and von Horn families.
Contents
Kinnevik is an active and long-term owner and its investments are made primarily in technology-based services aimed at consumers.
Kinnevik holds significant stakes in about 30 companies operating across five continents in more than 80 countries, with a particular focus on growth markets. The largest holdings are Zalando, Millicom, Tele2, Global Fashion Group and MTG.
Kinnevik’s largest shareholder is Verdere S.á.r.l., which is jointly owned by Cristina Stenbeck and the Estate of Max Stenbeck.
History
Kinnevik was founded as an investment company in 1936 by Robert von Horn, Wilhelm Klingspor and Hugo Stenbeck. The most important holdings when the company started were Mellersta Sveriges Lantbruks AB, Lidköpings Konfektyr Industri AB and Korsnäs Sågverks AB. The company grew quickly through share purchases and acquisitions of companies that included chocolate manufacturers Nordiska Suchard and Halmstads Järnverk.
The company’s aggressive acquisition strategy of Swedish industrial companies continued during Kinnevik’s first decades. The ownership structure of the investment company changed as Hugo Stenbeck gradually increased his holdings.
Kinnevik became a listed company and obtained additional capital in a new share issue in 1954. The first shares in Sandvikens Järnverk were purchased a few years after entering the stock market. Hugo Stenbeck replaced Wilhelm Klingspor as chairman of Kinnevik in the early 1960s. Shortly thereafter, Hugo Stenbeck’s oldest son, Hugo Stenbeck Jr, became managing director of the company.
Hugo Stenbeck Jr died in 1976 and his younger brother, Jan Hugo Stenbeck, joined Kinnevik’s management team. Hugo Stenbeck Sr died in 1977.
The shareholding in Sandvik AB increased steadily during the late 1970s, while Kinnevik increased its position in Fagersta AB. A major holding in the insurance company Atlantica was acquired in 1978.
Several auto companies were acquired in 1980 and were gathered under the name Svenska Motor AB. This included the import and sales of Toyota vehicles.
In the early 1980s, Comvik AB launched a new mobile telephony system and after a number of legal battles with state-owned Televerket, gained a favourable ruling by The Supreme Administrative Court. In 1985, a satellite system for television distribution was completed and during the late 1980s the battle intensified with the state-owned monopolies in telecommunications, television and radio. TV3 sent its premier broadcast from London on New Year’s Eve 1987. Comvik obtained authorisation to start a new mobile telephony network in 1989. Millicom International Cellular was formed the following year.
The first Kinnevik-run radio broadcasts began in 1991. During the same year, Kinnevik became the largest owner in newly established TV4 with a 20 percent shareholding. The free newspaper Metro International was launched in 1995 and the concept later spread rapidly throughout the world.
In 2001, the telecommunications operator Netcom changed its name to Tele2. Jan Hugo Stenbeck died on 19 August 2002 and was replaced by Edvard von Horn as chairman. Pehr G. Gyllenhammar became chairman in 2004 and was replaced three years later by Cristina Stenbeck.
Between 2005 and 2010, there was a major shift in the shareholdings in which ownership in Millicom increased and forestry shares decreased. Invik was sold to the Icelandic investment company Milestone.
At this time, the foundation was laid for investments in a number of internet businesses, particularly e-commerce companies. This profile was strengthened after 2010 with major investments in Rocket Internet, Zalando, Avito and Global Fashion Group, among others.
In 2016, Kinnevik stepped off the board of Rocket Internet, citing concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
Significant holdings
At year-end 2015, Kinnevik’s Net Asset Value amounted to SEK 83.5 billion. The largest holdings are (value corresponds to Kinnevik’s ownership in SEK billions):
Kinnevik divides its operations into the following areas: e-commerce and Marketplaces, communication, entertainment and Financial Services.
Shareholders
Per December 2015