Kurt Björklund

Spear’s Review

In 2008, Kurt Björklund was appointed as one of two managing partners of Permira, the global private equity firm known for its impressive record of corporate buyouts. When his co-manager, Tom Lister, stepped away from the firm in 2021, Björklund was made the sole leader.

In his years at the firm, which invests across four key sectors: consumer goods, service providers, healthcare and technology, Björklund has been instrumental in refining Permira’s investment strategy, as well as leading on a number of transactions (including Inmarsat and the Danish telecoms firm TDC). ‘His investments make people seriously rich,’ whispers one industry source.

As part of a long-term succession plan, Björklund stepped back from his management role in 2024, passing the torch to two industry veterans and becoming executive chairman of the company’s board.