Marcus and Jacob Wallenberg carry a heavy burden. Four
generations of their family have bequeathed them a business that
must be the envy of many less secure European industrialists and a
reputation that epitomizes Swedish enterprise and cool efficiency.
Their investment trust, Investor AB, owns massive parcels of shares
ranging from Ericsson to AstraZeneca, OM to SEB, giving it not only
a great spread of businesses, but also unparalleled influence over
management and industrial practice across Sweden and other parts of
northern Europe. The net asset value of the stakes is some Skr120
billion ($11.5 billion). Its income for the first six months of
2001 was over Skr9 billion.
Jacob and Marcus both bring to the task of running their Swedish
empire an education that has combined financial experience with
schooling at serious US academic institutions. Marcus Wallenberg
attended Georgetown University in Washington before working for
Citicorp, SG...
