Meet our employees
We are 70 employees with diverse experiences, backgrounds, skills, and perspectives
Here, you can meet some of Första AP-fonden’s employees and view their descriptions of the culture, the work they do and what it is like to work for one of Sweden’s largest funds.
I learn something new every day.
Diana Hellgren
Project manager since 2018
- Diana functions as the project management office and coordinates all projects within the fund according to a structured process. She supports the projects, identifies dependencies and collaborations, ensures deadlines are met, and conducts effective follow-ups. Diana is also the project manager for all major projects, such as the development of HR processes and system support for management. She works closely with the management team to prioritize projects based on the fund’s overall strategy and external requirements.
- Första AP-fonden is a specialist organization where each employee has an important role and great responsibility. We value different perspectives and skills, as diversity positively contributes to our operations. The interaction between senior and junior employees is important for the fund’s development. I am interested in financial issues, and this is an interesting workplace with complex subjects, a lot of accumulated expertise, and incredible positive energy. It is fun to work with so many different people and issues at the fund, and I learn something new every day.
We work as a cohesive team where everyone contributes to the fund’s success.
Martin Nilsson
Responsible for Första AP-fonden's management of Swedish small companies since 2023.
- We invest in interesting small cap companies with reasonable valuations and want to be part of their growth journey. With a concentrated portfolio, we become major shareholders and can act as engaged and responsible owners, which reduces risks and improves long-term potential.
- The portfolio currently consists of around 50 companies, with holdings based on our own fundamental analysis. Small companies are often under-analyzed, which gives us an advantage. We seek companies with sustainable business models, reasonable valuations, and sound finances, which reduces risks and creates opportunities, especially in challenging times. Sweden has a strong small business culture founded on entrepreneurship and innovation.
- We work as a cohesive team where everyone contributes to the fund’s success. The close dialogue between management, the ownership responsibility team, and the sustainability team ensures that we can make well-informed decisions and act quickly on new opportunities. This strong collaboration is a key factor for our long-term value creation and allows us to achieve our goals in an efficient and sustainable manner
Within the walls of this government authorities, there is a nimble, competent, and ambitious organization.
Helena Bongsell
HR manager since 2022
- I was drawn to Första AP-fonden because of its societal mission, and from my very first interviews, it felt right and interesting. I quickly realized that within the walls of this government authorities, there is a nimble, competent, and ambitious organization with a strong desire to be at the forefront. The small organization carries a great responsibility, which brings an exciting and varied daily life.
- With around 70 employees, it is easy to quickly become part of the community, and I see many opportunities to learn and develop. My colleagues are a diverse group, ranging from recent graduates to specialists with decades of experience. We have different backgrounds and are in different stages of life, which creates a wonderful dynamic. Everyone is incredibly nice, caring, and professional, and I have felt welcome from day one. I look forward to continuing to work with all the dedicated colleagues and driving HR issues so that we remain a healthy organization where everyone develops, is challenged, and thrives.
We were looking for someone who dares to ask questions
Patrik Nyman is the head of the Tactical Asset Allocation team, and Michele Oliboni is one of six team members. Tactical Asset Allocation has two main responsibilities: the operational management of the Fund’s regular total risk allocation between different asset classes within stipulated frameworks, and systematic management of global equities on developed markets.
Patrik has worked with the National Swedish Pension Funds for more than 30 years, since before the new AP Funds were created in 2001, and then moved on to tactical asset allocation in 2003
“The new data-driven strategies and the ability to manage large amounts of data efficiently have drastically changed how we work since then, and will most likely continue to change society and the finance sector fundamentally.”
Michele is the newest member of the team and joined the Fund in 2022. He mainly works with the new data-driven strategies, which involves a great deal of programming.
“I explore new approaches to problems and identify patterns. When it comes to machine learning, it is easy to see it as a black box, but in fact statistics have a lot to do with it. Of course, in theory you can do calculations by hand with a pen and paper, but this is not feasible in practice because of the complexity and time-consuming nature of these problems. This is where computers and programming are incredibly valuable. The choice of methods and techniques is important too, as these have a major impact on the final result.”
“I explore new approaches to problems and identify patterns”
Patrik explains his thoughts from when Michel. was recruited:
“Of course, we wanted someone with mathematical skills, but we also needed someone who was knowledgeable and curious and had an interest in programming. We were looking for someone with a solid understanding and view of risk, which is essential in our field, but otherwise we wanted to find someone who thinks differently to the rest of us and brings us new perspectives. Somebody who dares to question our choices and speak out. I think that for our organisation, a new employee should be the kind of person who can help us all develop.”
“In my role, I really get to use all the knowledge I have gathered related to mathematics, risk and programming, which I really enjoy. Patrik and the team always listen to my ideas and thoughts, and I feel I have a great deal of freedom to shape my work. There is a lot going on, and there are always new and interesting problems to tackle,” concludes Michele.