In short: #6, and the longest reinvention story on the list. "A Belgium-based global investment company controlled by the Boël family. It started in 1898 by financing electricity and tramway projects across Europe and Latin America. Since 1950s it has slowly shifted towards reallocating capital into listed equities and later private investments." Now invests across Europe, North America and Asia in "consumer, digital, education, and healthcare". Top five direct investments: ByteDance 7.0%, Cognita 6.0%, Nuxe 3.7%, Drylock Technologies 3.0%, Proeduca 2.0% — four of the five unlisted. Record: 8.6% a year since 2001, the weakest captured entry.
Sofina is a Belgian investment company controlled by the Boël family. It started in 1898 financing electricity networks and tram lines across Europe and Latin America, moved into listed shares from the 1950s, and has since moved again into private companies.
Today it backs consumer, digital, education and healthcare businesses across Europe, North America and Asia. Its five largest direct investments are ByteDance at 7%, the schools group Cognita at 6%, the skincare brand Nuxe at 3.7%, Drylock Technologies at 3% and the online university group Proeduca at 2% — four of the five unlisted.
The return has been about 8.6% a year since 2001, the weakest of the captured names. What you are really buying is a family's private-investment book at whatever price the stock market puts on it, which is the argument for the category and also its main risk.
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