Moving to Zurich was both a very personal and professional decision

While no day is the same, this article series tries to capture what goes on in the lives of some of our esteemed colleagues. In this piece we meet Niklas Mattsson, Senior Associate at Altor who moved to Zurich as part of our Secondment program.

The decision to pack up my desk and move to Zurich with my family for 7 months was both a personal and professional decision. I was keen to support the team down there and work closer towards the DACH market. I’ve always been eager to try new things and challenge myself, and moving to an unfamiliar place is the best way to do just that. It forces you to grow and take in new perspectives.

On a more personal note

Perhaps this paradox is true for many, but whenever I’m in Stockholm for a long period I start to long for someplace different, and whenever I have worked or studied away from home I start to miss friends, family, and the stable routine back home. A Secondment felt like a perfect mix of moving abroad while also having a clear end-date. While we miss our friends that used to be our dinner dates, we have met so many new friends – which I have realized becomes increasingly rare as you turn 30 and stay in your hometown.

“There is just something exciting about going to an unfamiliar place, putting the routines on pause, and allowing for newness to come in.”

We find ourselves having more time together

Somehow, life back home easily falls into auto pilot and you stay within your comfort zone. Moving to a new city and for a limited time, pushed us to fully embrace everything Zurich has to offer and to spend more quality time as a family. Our 1-year old son has been to the mountains almost every weekend during ski season, which I, sadly, doubt will ever happen in his or our lives again…

9:00 AM

To begin with, the cliché is true: no day is the same. But a classic week at Altor often includes:

09:39 AM

Sector team calls

Twice a week, either digitally or physically. We shouldn’t travel without reason but at least we call in together from each office.

10:56 AM

DACH meetings

Every two weeks we gather the team to look at the sourcing pipeline. What is the latest? What is our next move? These meetings help us to have a finger on the pulse.

1:15 PM

Currently we are in dialogue with two possible new investments

Naturally there is a lot of prepping of materials for the first meeting where we both should make a good impression and introduce Altor.

I recently became a dad and some things evidently no longer make it to the list of priorities, my previous workout routine is one of them

I try to be home before my son falls asleep. Nowadays I settle for my 15 minutes’ walk to and from the office.

4:29 PM

I work closely with my deal teams and the companies I support like Eidra and QNTM Group.

I’m in contact with them every day. The formula is the same regardless of what country my desk is in. I travelled to Oslo and met with parts of the QTNM team.

Occasionally, we take real deep-dive trips to be at the forefront

We recently travelled to New York with the tech team to meet with some of the leaders in our sectors, challenge our ideas and make new connections. We also made sure to visit the team at our portfolio company Meltwater.

“The move to Zurich is a fantastic opportunity for me to connect with the broader Altor family and learn from the dynamics and approach by a different office and team like Zurich.”

The DACH market contains endless opportunities

The biggest difference when it comes to sourcing is that the market is SO big here. There are so many different businesses with impressive track-records, and brands that you’ve, or at least I, never heard of. In a smaller country like Sweden, that is seldom the case. There is an endless flow of opportunities. I hope I can bring new perspectives to the million-dollar question we have to answer at the end – is this a company we want to own?

“It’s an intense period packed with learning and new perspectives. Probably more late nights than usual, but by far the most exciting part of my job.”

The most exciting part is when we welcome a new company to the portfolio

The most fun periods are often the stressful ones, when you can feel the importance of each decision and every move matters. You want to explore every option and opportunity. Let’s say you are the final stages of a new deal, you want to be able to say I did everything I could, I did my very best – at the end of that process.

Published: Jul 04 2024