Kristoffer Melinder named one of the 50 Most Influential People in European Private Equity for the seventh consecutive year

DECEMBER 03 2024

  • Over the past year, Nordic Capital has showcased its strategic agility through key investments and notable exits.

Private Equity News has once again recognised Kristoffer Melinder, Managing Partner at Nordic Capital Advisors, as one of Europe’s 50 Most Influential People in Private Equity. Kristoffer has been included in the prestigious list every year since its inception seven years ago. The list honours senior executives for their significant contributions to the private equity industry, such as driving market expansion and transformative deals.

As the sole Managing Partner since 2016, Kristoffer Melinder has steered the firm through an era of shifting economic landscapes and global challenges. During his leadership, Nordic Capital has delivered robust growth, maintained strong portfolio performance and advanced key initiatives despite market uncertainties. Nordic Capital has also made significant strides in sustainability during this time, most recently with its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligning with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5° C pathway.

Focusing on sub-sectors in Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, and Services & Industrial Tech, Nordic Capital has invested over EUR 26 billion in more than 150 transactions since 1989. In the past 14 months, the firm has announced eleven platform acquisitions, including a public-to-private offer for Hargreaves Lansdown and the recent acquisition of Anaqua, both expected to close in Q1 2025. Nordic Capital also completed or announced four full divestments during this period.

Kristoffer has placed a strong emphasis on talent development within the organisation. Over the past year, this commitment was reflected in the announcement of 24 promotions across all teams, which also included the addition of four new partners at Nordic Capital Advisors. Nordic Capital now boasts over 250 employees across all fund and advisory teams, operating from ten offices across three continents. Additionally, Nordic Capital has successfully completed several investments in the US, further strengthening its presence in this key market. Its mid-market strategy Evolution has also completed 10 investments in Northern Europe since inception only three years ago, underscoring Nordic Capital’s dedication to expanding its investment capabilities and addressing new opportunities.

Recognised as a champion of sustainable investment, Kristoffer has also driven commitment to responsible investment practices. Nordic Capital was rated as top quartile in the latest UNPRI Transparency Assessment Report and continues to embed rigorous ESG principles across its portfolio companies.

Kristoffer Melinder said:

We are proud to have maintained strong momentum through our sector-specialist approach embedding strategic sourcing and active ownership, enabling portfolio companies to grow and thrive. In 2024, Nordic Capital XI continued to target transformative opportunities within sectors such as healthcare, technology and financial services. Meanwhile, the mid-market strategy, Nordic Capital Evolution, focused on dynamic businesses with potential for growth and international expansion. These investments reflect Nordic Capital’s sector specialism as well as its ability to drive transformation and sustainable value creation.

He continued:

“Nordic Capital is fortunate to include some of the world’s most exciting businesses in its portfolio and we are focused on driving ownership excellence to further develop the full potential of these companies This has been recently demonstrated by successful exits including Sunrise Medical, Consilium Safety Group and Unisport, as well as 12 % annual average EBITDA growth across Nordic Capital portfolio companies since inception. Being recognised as one of the 50 Most Influential People in European Private Equity is an honour that reflects the collective achievements and dedication of the entire Nordic Capital team."

Note: The 50 "most influential" people were selected by Private Equity News, who conducted thorough market research to assess candidates' firepower in Europe, their recent track records and their wider industry profile. See the full list HERE.

Press contact

Nordic Capital

Katarina Janerud
Communications Manager, Nordic Capital Advisors
Tel: +46 8 440 50 50
E-mail: katarina.janerud@nordiccapital.com


About Nordic Capital

Nordic Capital is a leading sector-specialist private equity investor with a resolute commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Nordic Capital focuses on selected regions and sectors where it has deep experience and a long history. Focus sectors are Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, and Services & Industrial Tech. Key regions are Europe and globally for Healthcare and Technology & Payments investments. Since inception in 1989, Nordic Capital has invested EUR 26 billion in close to 150 investments. The most recent entities are Nordic Capital XI with EUR 9.0 billion in committed capital and Nordic Capital Evolution with EUR 1.2 billion in committed capital, principally provided by international institutional investors such as pension funds. Nordic Capital Advisors have local offices in Sweden, the UK, the US, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and South Korea. www.nordiccapital.com.

“Nordic Capital” refers to, depending on the context, any, or all, Nordic Capital branded entities, vehicles, structures, and associated entities. The general partners and/or delegated portfolio managers of Nordic Capital’s entities and vehicles are advised by several non-discretionary sub-advisory entities, any or all of which are referred to as “Nordic Capital Advisors”.