Bjorn Saven (born 1950) is a Swedish industrialist and investor.[1] He is the founder and former chief executive of IK Investment Partners (formerly Industri Kapital) a leading European private equity firm focused on acquisitions across the Nordics, Benelux, Germany and France, with funds raised in excess of €14 billion.
Prior to founding IK Investment Partners in 1988 (within Enskilda Securities until 1993, part of the SEB Bank Group)[3] Bjorn Saven held various positions at the American oil company Gulf Oil 1972-1974 as well as the Swedish office and retail products group Esselte 1976-1988.[2]
At IK Partners, Bjorn Saven pioneered Private Equity investments in the Nordics and Continental Europe. He raised the first Private Equity fund in the Northern Europe, focusing mainly on investments in, and development of, mid-cap companies with a hands-on operating approach of working with portfolio businesses.[4] He served as Chief Executive from 1989-2008 and Executive Chairman 2008 – 2011, Chairman from 2011 and emeritus since 2017.[1][5]
Bjorn Saven has also served as a non-executive director at the Nordic bank Nordea,[6] Swedish industrial group Alfa Laval (Deputy Chairman), Swedish energy group Vattenfall AB,[7] Norwegian consumer goods group Orkla ASA, and Finnish industrial cranes manufacturer Konecranes Oyj.[1][3]
