Mikkel Hesselgren

Senior Vice President, Head of Equity
2021 - 2023
Heading up Vækstfonden’s equity unit having the overall strategic and investment responsibility for VC and PE activities, both fund investments and direct equity investments. Part of Vækstfonden’s Executive Management Group. USD 2.5 billion AUM.
Head of Fund of funds
2016 - 2021

2013 - 2015

Senior Legal Counsel (in process to be promoted to Director)
2013 - 2015
Approved by senior management for promotion to Director within 2 years of employment. Appointed as mentor for Maersk talent program. Negotiating projects with USD multi-billion assets and significant risks involved. Setting up joint ventures and other partnerships. Negotiating with oil companies worldwide and working closely with commercial and operational departments - often in the role of project manager. Maersk Supply Service (part of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group) is a leading provider of global offshore marine services to customers in the oil and gas industry.

2013 - 2013

Acting CEO
2013 - 2013
Managing a growth capital investment - and majority shareholding - in leading African packaging company, including preparing and negotiating and attractive exit to a private equity firm. This also included to install a new management team, develop a new business plan and to secure a healthy and strong financial platform.

2011 - 2013

Investment & Legal Director
2011 - 2013
Private equity fund-of-funds with EUR 1 billion under management. Main mandate is to manage EUR 0.7 billion on behalf of Danish pension funds. Responsible for investments in buyout funds and venture funds for a total EUR 80 million over the last 16 months. Leading investment teams and managing processes from sourcing and analysis to negotiation and execution. Responsible for analysis of strategies, processes, team compositions and financial performances of funds as well as underlying portfolio companies. Responsible for drafting and negotiating limited partnership agreements. Member of investor boards and advisory boards in portfolio funds. ESG responsible.

2007 - 2011

Legal Director
2007 - 2011
Project leader on 30+ investment and exit transactions. Drafting and negotiating terms with entrepreneurs, investors, fund managers and acquirers (investment agreements, shareholder agreements, share purchase agreements, limited partnership agreements etc.). Drafting CEO agreements, incentive schemes, joint venture agreements, loan agreements and other financial documents. Providing strategic and legal advice to portfolio companies. ESG responsible. Working 18 months as chairman of the board of innovative IT-company, directing strategic discussions and changing management.

2005 - 2006

Management & Human Rights Advisor to the Cambodian Government
2005 - 2006
Directing the daily work of 10 government officials. Advising Cambodian ministers and other senior officials on strategy, planning, implementation and management. Operationalizing a very complex and comprehensive reform strategy involving multiple national and international stakeholders. Establishing programmes and structures for the cooperation between the Cambodian government, international stakeholders and implementing agencies. Designing a justice sector performance and result monitoring framework (KPIs). Cooperating, negotiating and liaising with and between the Cambodian Government and international stakeholders, e.g. UNDP, World Bank, USA, France, Japan and Australia. Fostering strong alliances across different agendas, nationalities and cultures. Training government officials in strategic planning methodologies, project management and use of key performance indicators etc. Promoting human rights and the rule of law in a complex political context.

2001 - 2005

Attorney at Law
2001 - 2005
Attorney at Law in one of Denmark's leading and most international law firms, dealing primarily with corporate law, M&A, commercial and contract law. Secondment at Novo Nordisk A/S working with corporate governance.

1999 - 2000

1997 - 1997

Chief Investment Officer