The multiplier effect

A conversation with Linnea Ekroth about the Altor Community FAIR

The ‘Altor Communities’ were launched in 2023 with the purpose to utilize our network, engagement model, knowledge and capital to drive positive societal impact beyond our investment and ownership activities.

What motivated you to get involved in the Fair Community at Altor?

It is clear in the Nordic countries and beyond that there is still a lot to do when it comes to gender diversity. We feel that we are equal, but when you look at the numbers, we are not. We see that in our daily work at Altor, also in relation to recruiting, where we always seek to have a 50/50 split between men and women, but the recruiting pools are not equal. I want to affect that pool and make it broader.

How did you approach the work in the Fair Community?

We mapped out the areas where we lack diversity in our geographies today, in terms of the board member pool, management, finance in general, and we saw no real initiatives in the Nordics supporting women going into finance-related education and finance-related jobs. This was an area where we really wanted to make an impact.

Which initiative have you decided to support and why?

We found an organisation in the UK called GAIN, focused on early outreach programs for girls and young women in high school and university, meeting them, inspiring them, and empowering them to choose career tracks that are not typically associated with female attributes or that girls may not think is for them. We found their work super inspiring and could see the great results that they have achieved so far. Furthermore, we knew that they have a great team in place, including one of the Co-Founders Tilly Franklin, who has previously been director of private equity at Alta Advisers, one of Altor’s LPs.

Linnea Ekroth, Senior Associate at Altor
“This is key to our thinking around Altor Communities; that we can have a multiplier effect through the initiatives we work with and support through our expertise, capital, and network.”

How will you collaborate with GAIN?

We will support them in launching their activities in Sweden, including helping them to ramp up to get more financial sponsors through our network. It will be the first expansion to countries outside of the UK for GAIN, but hopefully not the last.

This is key to our thinking around Altor Communities; that we can have a multiplier effect through the initiatives we work with and support through our expertise, capital, and network.

Published: Jun 24 2024

The multiplier effect

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