Stefan Persson (magnate)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Carl Stefan Erling Persson ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; born 4 October 1947<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) is a Swedish billionaire businessman. In 2022, Forbes reported Persson's net worth as $17 billion<ref name=forbes>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> making him the richest of Sweden's 45 billionaires<ref name=forbes/> and the 98th richest person in the world.<ref>Forbes The World's Billionaires</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Persson was the chairman of fashion company H&M until May 2020, when he was succeeded by his son.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He remains the company's largest shareholder, owning a 36% stake.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The company was founded by his father Erling Persson in 1947.<ref name=ne />

Persson took over H&M from his father in 1982 and served as its manager until 1998. He also owns a substantial stake in the Swedish technology company Hexagon AB. Through his privately held real estate company Ramsbury Invest, Persson owns a large number of properties in London, Paris and Stockholm.<ref name="Bloomberg" />

He is the sole director of Ramsbury Estates Limited,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which farms Template:Convert in the English counties of Wiltshire, Berkshire and Hampshire, centred on the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire. Since Persson acquired the business in 1997, it has bought the land of several neighbouring estates including Littlecote and Hungerford Park.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Persson had a net worth of US$21.2 billion in January 2022, making him the 89th richest person in the world at the time.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life

Stefan Persson is the son of Erling Persson, who founded H&M in 1947.<ref name=ne /> He earned an associate qualification from Stockholm University.<ref name="Forbes profile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Persson is a founder of the Mentor Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aims to combat substance abuse among young people.<ref name=forbes /> He is a supporter of Djurgårdens IF and is co-funding a foundation for the club.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Persson enjoys downhill skiing, tennis and golf. He owns properties in London, Paris and Stockholm and, in 2009, acquired the 21-cottage village of Linkenholt in Hampshire, England.<ref name=forbes />

Persson has three children from his first marriage, to Pamela Collett.<ref name=forbes /><ref name="Tharawat">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, his son, Karl-Johan Persson, took over as president and chief executive of H&M.<ref name="Forbes profile"/> His other two children, Tom Persson and Charlotte Söderström are also billionaires.<ref name="Forbes profile"/>

Persson lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his second wife, Denise Persson, née Florman.<ref name="Forbes profile"/>

Further reading

Biography (In Swedish) The Big Boss. Så tog Stefan Persson H&M ut i världen och blev Sveriges rikaste person. Erik Palm and Jonas Alsgren (2019). Norstedts Template:ISBN Template:Authority control