The EQT Foundation was founded in June 2019 by a core group of Partners at EQT with the purpose of hosting and driving EQT’s global philanthropic activities, and furthering the firm’s ambitions of making a positive impact with everything it does. The EQT Foundation aligns its activities with EQT’s vision of being the most reputable investor and owner. It has a mission of creating a more inclusive tomorrow and pushing the frontiers of societal impact as well as ensuring the successful long-term development of EQT and maintaining EQT’s strong corporate culture and values. The EQT Foundation also has a right to appoint a member to the nomination committee of EQT AB according to the principles for appointing a nomination committee.

Cilia’s experience from her previous role as Sustainability Director of Aker BioMarine and from the Norwegian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, where she negotiated the Sustainable Development Goals, matches perfectly with the EQT Foundation’s mission. Cilia has a genuine passion for driving long-lasting positive change and engaging others in making a difference.

Conni Jonsson, Chairperson of the EQT Foundation, said: “We are very happy that Cilia is joining the EQT Foundation. Our ambition is that the work and efforts we pursue through the EQT Foundation will inspire others to contribute to positive long-term change and, with Cilia onboard, we are confident that we will be able to drive our positive impact agenda further and become a change catalyst in the industry.”

Christian Sinding, CEO and Managing Partner at EQT, continued: “The EQT Foundation shares the same objective as EQT, to make a positive impact with everything we do, and Cilia’s energy, engagement and experience fit this in an exceptional manner. We want every investment EQT makes to contribute to a better and cleaner tomorrow, and we see the EQT Foundation as an important pillar in achieving this.”

Cilia Holmes Indahl commented: “For me, driving the EQT Foundation is a dream job! With EQT’s culture, values and impressive portfolio of great companies, there are so many opportunities to push the sustainability agenda forward. I look forward to exploring new ways of accelerating industry transformations, leveraging the thematic expertise from the entire EQT system and driving positive impact in close collaboration with all EQT colleagues.”

In April, the EQT Foundation announced its first donation of EUR 1 million to the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator (launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and Mastercard) as a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Further information about the EQT Foundation’s strategy, focus areas and initiatives will be communicated once Cilia has assumed her role.