Proventus AB

Meeting with someone at Proventus, an investment company, proves to be an exercise in futility. Headquarters is on the seventh floor of an eight-story building adjacent to Sweden's biggest department store in the central shopping district. First I have to be cleared by the lobby personnel; then, upon stepping off the elevator I have to be cleared by the security guard/receptionist to get into the reception area. Lots of white walls and lots of modern art on the walls. It's a high-rent building with investment bankers Warburg Dillon Read being another tenant. On the second visit I talk face to face with "Inga", secretary to CEO Mikael Kamras, and she says someone might be available to meet with me next week. Proventus, which means "harvest" in Latin, has its hands in about 10 companies. Revenues totaled more than 16 billion kroners (over $2 billion). Robert Weil owns all the shares in Proventus.