• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Leadership

Melker Schorling, Sweden’s Quiet Tycoon With the Midas Touch

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 24, 2016, 9:53 AM ET
Swedish businessman Melker Schorling, major shareholder of the security companies Securitas and Assa Abloy, is seen in this file photo taken in Stockholm
Swedish businessman Melker Schorling, major shareholder of the security companies Securitas and Assa Abloy, is seen in this file photo taken in Stockholm, Sweden May 26, 2005. To match Insight SWEDEN-TYCOON/ TT News Agency/Tomas Oneborg/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN.
TT NEWS AGENCY
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Business tycoon Melker Schorling, one of Sweden’s most prominent investors, says he is well-positioned to expand his 60 billion crown ($7 billion) investment empire even as he prepares to hand over affairs to his daughters.

MSAB, the holding company he set up in 1999 which spans a diverse set of companies from measurement technology to locks and guards, has consistently outperformed larger rivals.

Investors attribute Schorling’s success to a knack for picking small specialists which go on to become global market leaders.

In a decade, MSAB has had returns of over 500%, outperforming rivals such as Wallenberg-backed Investor AB and Industrivarden and leading Swedish media to dub Schorling “King Midas” of the Stockholm bourse.

MSAB investors include H&M chairman Stefan Persson and BP & AB Volvo Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg.

But while Schorling’s path to success has had few bumps, some analysts are beginning to question the future of the group which has not made a single new investment in a decade.

How Swedish Startup Neo Technology Helped Crack the Panama Papers

Schorling turns 70 next year and although his daughters have become more involved they have not yet stepped into high-profile executive roles, and he recently lost one of his closest team members, MSAB CEO Ulrik Svensson, who leaves at year-end to join Lufthansa as CFO.

Svensson’s departure raises some questions about the group’s direction and stability, analysts say.

Schorling, who shies away from media appearances, is not planning major changes.

“We are very long-term oriented and it is highly likely that our holdings will be the same for many years to come,” he told Reuters in an email.

But opportunity may be on the horizon for MSAB which has six listed companies like Assa Abloy, the world’s biggest maker of locks, Securitas, the world’s second-biggest provider of guards, and Hexagon, market leader in precision measurement technology.

“For the time being we have actually divested a bit from our holdings to make sure that we have enough dry powder for future investments,” he said. “Valuation multiples are high at the moment and we believe there could be interesting investment opportunities in the future.”

While Brexit worries have hit shares—the STOXX Europe Industrial Goods & Services Index is down 8.5% on the year—the S&P 500 remains at record highs.

This Scandinavian Country is Banning M&Ms

Nordea analyst Elias Porse reckons Svensson’s departure could trigger a “generational renewal” of MSAB, with one of the daughters stepping in as CEO, though a CFO from a portfolio company could be appointed instead.

Both Sofia and Marta are board members for MSAB and its investment companies.

“Ultimately they will take over but we do not have a specific timing for that,” Schorling said.

Schorling and his CEO proteges are bellwethers for investors who will be watching any investment moves closely.

Last year, when Schorling and Hexagon CEO Ola Rollen bought into fingerprint sensor maker Next Biometrics through their high-tech focused Greenbridge Partners, shares nearly doubled on the day. Shares in mining gear maker Sandvik jumped when Assa Abloy’s CEO was named chair.

Those near Schorling say he has an eye for talent. He insists his leaders take large stakes, so they reap the benefits or bleed together.

Rollen’s own wealth has multiplied since taking the job in 2000, when he took an unsecured loan equal to two years’ salary to buy options—a large bet by Swedish standards.

“Had I been older, wiser and been able to do the math better at the time, I would probably never have done it,” he said with a laugh, reflecting on his financial gamble.

Just his Hexagon B shares are now worth almost $50 million.

Bernie Sanders Is Taking the Wrong Lessons From Sweden

Schorling believes he may have “a good gut feeling for people”. He looks for entrepreneurship, long-term thinking and a “very healthy lack of bureaucracy” in all his CEOs.

Unlike the current generation of Wallenbergs who inherited vast investment empires, farmer’s son Schorling built his fortune on a first bet on Securitas for which he took a massive bank loan for.

Last year, he was the sixth wealthiest Swede, according to magazine Veckans Affarer. His group’s net asset value falls just short of Industrivarden’s. It and Investor are the traditional investment behemoths of Swedish business.

Still, MSAB struggled through the 2008 crisis when debts at Hexagon, its crown jewel at over half its portfolio, sent shares in both tumbling. Hexagon’s net debt-to-equity ratio has since more than halved.

Instead of transforming cash handling business Loomis early on as countries like Sweden moved towards being cashless, MSAB whittled down its holding in March this year.

Volvo’s Solution for the Package Theft Epidemic: Your Car’s Trunk

Another misstep came when Securitas spun off its hi-tech Niscayah unit in 2006 and wound up getting outbid by Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) when it tried to buy it back five years later.

MSAB is closely tied to the highs and lows of the industrial cycle. Asked about this, Schorling said there were no plans to change the asset mix to even things out.

“We do not think in diversification terms,” he said. “Some of the companies are affected by the industrial cycle but they have been well tested in the financial crisis.”

MSAB will likely keep growing through M&A by its holdings.

“They do have the benefit of synergies which means it is much easier for them to make a good return on an acquisition,” Schorling said.

A senior banker who has worked with some of Schorling’s companies described his style as highly effective.

“It would have to be a really big investment or M&A deal for it to be raised up centrally to top management,” he said.

Schorling may be in the driver’s seat for some time to come.

Carl Bek-Nielsen, an MSAB board member and chair of United International Enterprises—its third biggest shareholder—said Schorling was not stepping down anytime soon.

“I bet you if he were a car and you opened up his bonnet, there would be a fantastic V8 engine well lubricated and ready to go another 400,000 kilometers,” he told Reuters.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

Photo of ballots being counted and sorted
PoliticsElections
Nearly 150,000 California mail ballots rejected in June primary, a record high thanks to late-arriving ballots
By The Associated Press and MIchael R. BloodJuly 24, 2026
6 hours ago
Photo of the nun
North AmericaImmigration
Nun detained by ICE on her way to Mass speaks out for first time: ‘For me, a nun, not to go to Mass…it was very, very heartbreaking’
By The Associated Press, Valerie Gonzalez and Jamie StengleJuly 24, 2026
6 hours ago
Court illustration of the author testifying
LawTerrorism
Salman Rushdie describes a ‘lake of blood’ as his convicted attacker faces terrorism charges tied to the 2022 stabbing
By The Associated Press, John Wawrow and Jennifer PeltzJuly 24, 2026
7 hours ago
A gun lays on a table next to a row of ammunition.
Lawgun control
Two gun rights groups are suing the U.S. Virgin Islands over concealed carry for nonresidents
By The Associated Press and Danica CotoJuly 24, 2026
7 hours ago
Vice President JD Vance sits in on a meeting.
North AmericaJD Vance
The Secret Service is investigating a member of JD Vance’s detail over a suspected news leak
By The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
7 hours ago
Google logo is displayed on a smartphone in front of the EU Flag.
CybersecurityGoogle
EU strikes Google with $1 billion fine in major crackdown on antitrust regulations even as Trump threatens retaliation
By The Associated Press and Sam McNeilJuly 24, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
Big Tech
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
By Sydney LakeJuly 23, 2026
2 days ago
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
Economy
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
20 hours ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 24, 2026
17 hours ago
Turns out Dead Internet Theory was right: AI agents are eating the Web, growing by nearly 8,000% and rewiring the Internet's business model
AI
Turns out Dead Internet Theory was right: AI agents are eating the Web, growing by nearly 8,000% and rewiring the Internet's business model
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.