EQT Partners Picks JPMorgan and SEB for Potential IPO

(Bloomberg) -- EQT Partners, the largest private equity firm in the Nordic region, has chosen JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Sweden’s SEB AB to advise on its strategic review, which may lead to an initial public offering, people familiar with the matter said.

No final decisions have been made and EQT may still decide against a listing, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private.

The buyout firm is considering ways to raise funds to strengthen its balance sheet and fund growth and to “weather tougher times,” former Chief Executive Officer Thomas von Koch said last year. Christian Sinding, the former head of equity who’s been with the firm since 1998, took over the role on Jan. 1. Koch is now deputy managing partner.

Representatives for EQT, JPMorgan and SEB declined to comment.

EQT has raised more than 50 billion euros ($58 billion) since it was started more than 20 years ago. Investor AB, founded by the wealthy Wallenberg family, is the firm’s anchor investor with an ownership of about 10 percent in its most recent funds, according to EQT’s website.

--With assistance from Sarah Syed.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ruth David in London at rdavid9@bloomberg.net;Rafaela Lindeberg in Stockholm at rlindeberg@bloomberg.net;Dinesh Nair in London at dnair5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Dinesh Nair at dnair5@bloomberg.net, Amy Thomson, Matthew Monks

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