Bonniers

"In just a few weeks, the sensational deal was completed – it was the largest corporate acquisition in Sweden to date. For Bonniers, it was a fine capture; a large part of the purchase sum could later be withdrawn from Åhlén & Åkerlunds’ own cash register, and Åkerlund’s business-savvy sister Anna Ehlin, who had actually been taking care of the daily management of the company, chose to stay within the company. Erik Åkerlund’s fears for the publishing house also proved to be mistaken. “Yes, later on, Bonniers earned back the purchase sum several times over each year,” Ruben commented on the deal later."

"to ensure against a potential bankruptcy in Åkerlund & Rausing dragging all assets with it, the companions chose to use Åhlén & Åkerlund Offset Printing in Stockholm as the parent company. This profitable little company that printed playing cards, advertisements, and covers for weekly magazines had Erik Åkerlund temporarily managed to exempt during the sale of the rest of the publishing house. In the negotiations, he had managed to get Bonniers to accept that they would take over the small company only after twelve years."

"Wallenbergs, Bonniers, Ax:son Johnsons, H&M's Perssons, and a few others."

"On this basis, my family and I have come to our own ownership model, which deviates from many others. We do not want to build a family dynasty where the ambition is for daddy's boy or girl to be trained in the family's company in operational positions to eventually become CEO. It can succeed, and we have good examples of that. Families like the Wallenbergs and Bonniers have managed the process for five or six generations by now. But it's more the exception than the rule. Many families have been forced away from large ownership concentrations when time and competition have run past them. This has often happened due to problems with a family member in an operational role. The wrong choice of people for key positions has been made."