Permira names two new CEOs as Björklund moves to board
Permira has announced that Brian Ruder and Dipan Patel will become co-managing partners and co-chief executives, taking over from incumbent chief executive Kurt Björklund.
Björklund will continue to serve on the company’s board, becoming executive chairman on 1 September 2024.
Both Ruder and Patel are Permira veterans. Ruder has been with the private credit specialist for 16 years, and currently serves on Permira’s executive committee. He also chairs the Permira growth opportunities investment committee, as well as co-chairing the buyout funds’ investment committee.
Meanwhile, Dipan is co-head of Permira’s consumer sector team and serves on the buyout funds’ investment committee and Permira’s executive committee. He has been with Permira since 2009, initially in the technology team and then in the consumer department.
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“Dipan and Brian have been strong leaders and vital contributors to Permira’s strategy, culture and investing track record for over 15 years,” said Björklund.
“They embody the Permira values of partnership, creativity and integrity and have collectively worked on 22 investments across Permira’s sectors, representing approximately €17.5bn (£14.78bn) of capital, including LP co-investment.
“Brian and Dipan as co-managing partners begins the next chapter in our long history of successfully evolving our leadership and reflects our commitment to careful stewardship of the firm.
“I am excited to remain actively involved as executive chairman and work closely with them as we continue to grow the firm and drive performance for the benefit of our investors and our team.”
Björklund became co-managing partner of Permira alongside Tom Lister in 2008. When Lister retired in 2022, he took over as sole managing partner.
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Under his leadership, Permira has expanded its investment focus and product suite across private equity and credit, almost tripled the size of the team and raised eight private equity funds and more than 30 credit vehicles in aggregate, representing approximately €60bn of capital.
“It is a privilege to be the next leaders of Permira, a firm that has been shaped by the thoughtful guidance of Kurt and the managing partners before him,” said Ruder and Patel.
“Permira’s strategy is to generate enduring investment returns through backing and building exceptional businesses. Along with Kurt, our partners and colleagues across our global office footprint, we are excited to write our firm’s next chapter.”
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