Patricia Olby KimondoFounder People Productions & Double Up ImpAct
Patricia Olby Kimondo is the founder and CEO of People Productions Sweden, a portfolio of brands focused on talent sourcing and development. Her companies aim to connect people with opportunities and develop innovative solutions for a changing world. Among their brands is Pamoja, an AI-driven job platform, and Lärarförmedlarna, a talent expert in the Education sector.
Patricia has co-authored a book on the people-centered economy and founded Double Up ImpAct to support female-led businesses. She has served on various organizational boards, including UN Women Sweden. Patricia and her companies have received several awards and recognition for their excellence and growth. She was also Founders of the Year Honorary Award 2025.
Read more here: www.peopleproductions.se and Double Up Impact
Background
Patricia, the founder and CEO of People Productions, has dedicated her career to connecting people with opportunities, believing that future potential is always stronger than past experiences.
In 1999, she founded Lärarförmedlarna, Sweden's first recruitment agency in the education sector - and still a market leader. In 2020 Pamoja was launched - Sweden's largest digital platform for on-demand work. These ventures annually process more than 10 000 applicants and employ over 2000 people, redefining the landscape of life and work.
With her husband as a key partner, Patricia has skillfully scaled the business, balancing visionary ideas with practical execution. She believes in building businesses step by step, grounded in a solid foundation and self-reliant for long-term success. For her, success is always about business growth and creating value for society.
Driven by her passion for empowering women in business, Patricia founded Double Up ImpAct, to harness the capacity of women as entrepreneurs and community builders. Double Up ImpAct believes in solving problems as an entrepreneur - by taking small clear steps towards deep and lasting change.
She is also a board member for UN Women Sweden, advocating for global gender equality. Additionally, she is the co-author of the book The People-Centered Economy, published by the Silicon Valley-based think tank Innovation for Jobs.
Always eager to learn, Patricia pursued executive education at both the Stockholm School of Economics and Stanford Business School to gain new insights and learn innovative methods to drive her company forward.
For Patricia, the true magic lies in transforming ideas into action, fueled by collaboration with engaged and creative minds. Her journey is a testament to the power of vision, determination, and a commitment to making a positive impact, proving that it’s possible to build businesses that thrive, while making the world a better place.
4th Women Founders Lunch Summit with Patricia Olby Kimondo & Niclas Carlsson
Join us for a special lunch seminar where founders and community leaders come together to create positive change for women founders.
Led by Patricia Olby Kimondo, Founder of People Productions, and Niclas Carlsson, Founder & CEO of Founders Alliance, this event focuses on the challenges women founders face, especially in small and medium-sized businesses.
With research-based discussions and practical insights, we aim to build a more inclusive and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Through the power of collaboration, we bring together our network of experienced founders, industry experts, and advocates. These connections form a platform for sharing experiences, offering valuable insights, and developing effective strategies to overcome systemic barriers.
What to Expect:
- Inspiring keynotes and panel discussions with top founders and community leaders.
- Networking with stakeholders dedicated to supporting women in entrepreneurship.
Read more here: The 4th Women Founders Summit
Joachim KarthäuserFounder Zelk & Climoen
Joachim Karthäuser is passionate about renewable energy. Solar Power, Wind Power and Heat Power will be the main pillars of the future energy system. These industries enable sustainable societies and "Business for a better world". "Heat Power", especially electricity from low grade, such as waste heat, is profitable and will grow rapidly in industries such as geothermal, steel, cement, biomass power plants and shipping.
See www.climeon.com for examples!
His interests are entrepreneurship, technology, sustainability, hydrogen and energy politics.
In addition to my CEO job at Zelk Energy AB, I serve on the boards of SiOx Machines AB (CleanTech, CO2 treatment of plastics, rubber, etc.), Re-Turn AS (nano-technology for composites and paints) and Re-Organic AS (plastic recycling).
Read more here: www.zelk.co
I follow "my baby" Climeon AB and am member of the board nomination committee. I invest in renewable energy companies and sustainability start-ups.
Founders Planet Workshop in Collaboration with We Don't Have Time
Five speaker introductions on different aspects of growing 'Planet' companies for positive impact founders, each with a maximum of 8 minutes, will inspire roundtable discussions and the global stream of We Don't HaveTime. The session is moderated by Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder We Don't Have Time & Co-Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
Introductory speeches for roundtable discussions (participants will select their preferred roundtable upon registration):
- Leading the Energy Transition through Entrepreneurship by Joachim Karthäuser, Founder of Climeon and Zelk & Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
- Sustainable Infrastructure in the Nordics by Philip Ajina, Founder of Infranode & Member of Founders Group 2.
- ESG for Founders by Malin Lindfors Speace, Founder of Ethos & Member of Founders Group 2.
- Building Sustainability Companies in India and Beyond by Aticka Chona, Founder of GreenKarmas & Founders Ambassador Member.
Aticka ChonaFounder GreenKarmas
Experienced founder with a diverse international background, delivering growth and expansion for organizations. She excel in driving strategy and change projects to meet tomorrow's expectations and work closely with leaders of creative businesses to develop and implement effective commercial agendas. With a proven track record in establishing and driving business transformation through strategy and innovation, she specializes in implementing global strategic ambitions under local conditions, navigating the intersection of the market, public, and political spheres.
As a consultant, she provides strategic advice to CEOs and leadership teams, addressing various challenges such as market entry strategies, international growth strategies, brand transformations, industry evaluation, competition analysis, and areas of capitalization. She brings a deep understanding of changing circumstances, emerging technologies, and evolving economic, social, financial, and political landscapes. She helps companies define their purpose, build strategic positioning for their business and brand, and create sustainable competitive advantages.
Passionate about sustainability and circularity, She continuously seeks profitable business propositions and innovations that have a positive impact on people and the planet while driving purpose and profits for companies. As a strategic and solution-oriented leader, she thrive on leading and coaching teams to deliver high performance and positive impact, fostering a culture of results, ownership, and entrepreneurship.
Throughout my 25+ years of experience, she has been dedicated to driving development and sustainability. She has successfully guided organizations through strategic and governance changes, and implemented large-scale international programs focused on sustainable business models. She has extensive experience and a deep understanding of sustainable fashion principles, including concepts like circularity, ethical sourcing, fair trade, up-cycling, and reducing environmental impact.
As a trained coach, she brings joy, energy, and a focus on personal development when leading individuals and teams. She is known for my strong interpersonal skills, extensive network, and a genuine passion for continuous learning and development. Let's connect and explore opportunities for collaboration and making a positive difference together.
Founders Planet Workshop in Collaboration with We Don't Have Time
Five speaker introductions on different aspects of growing 'Planet' companies for positive impact founders, each with a maximum of 8 minutes, will inspire roundtable discussions and the global stream of We Don't HaveTime. The session is moderated by Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder We Don't Have Time & Co-Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
Introductory speeches for roundtable discussions (participants will select their preferred roundtable upon registration):
- Leading the Energy Transition through Entrepreneurship by Joachim Karthäuser, Founder of Climeon and Zelk & Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
- Sustainable Infrastructure in the Nordics by Philip Ajina, Founder of Infranode & Member of Founders Group 2.
- ESG for Founders by Malin Lindfors Speace, Founder of Ethos & Member of Founders Group 2.
- Building Sustainability Companies in India and Beyond by Aticka Chona, Founder of GreenKarmas & Founders Ambassador Member.
Malin Lindfors SpeaceFounder Ethos
In brief
- 20+ years of experience in sustainability consulting
- Audits completed in 200+ countries
- Certifications: SA8000 Lead Auditor, ISO 45001
- Education: MSc in Responsibility in Business Practice, University of Bath
Malin founded Ethos in 2007 and she is a senior advisor and sustainability expert. She has many years of experience in reviewing and advising organizations' work with human rights, workers' rights, the environment and anti-corruption in their organization and value chain.
Her combined experience includes 20+ years of experience in sustainable supply chains and on-site audits in accordance with SA8000 and ISO 45001, sustainable finance (SFDR, PRI, EU Taxonomy), sustainability reporting (ÅRL, NFRD, CSRD, GRI), sustainability strategy development, evaluation and advising on the work of companies in accordance with the UN's guiding principles, the OECD's guidelines and the Children's Rights Principles.
Malin holds many years of experience in working with the environment and climate as well as the implementation and review of environmental management systems (EMAS).
In addition, she has also evaluated and advised organizations' work and processes in anti-corruption, work environment (ISO 45001), as well as equality, diversity and anti-discrimination.
Founders Planet Workshop in Collaboration with We Don't Have Time
Five speaker introductions on different aspects of growing 'Planet' companies for positive impact founders, each with a maximum of 8 minutes, will inspire roundtable discussions and the global stream of We Don't HaveTime. The session is moderated by Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder We Don't Have Time & Co-Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
Introductory speeches for roundtable discussions (participants will select their preferred roundtable upon registration):
- Leading the Energy Transition through Entrepreneurship by Joachim Karthäuser, Founder of Climeon and Zelk & Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
- Sustainable Infrastructure in the Nordics by Philip Ajina, Founder of Infranode & Member of Founders Group 2.
- ESG for Founders by Malin Lindfors Speace, Founder of Ethos & Member of Founders Group 2.
- Building Sustainability Companies in India and Beyond by Aticka Chona, Founder of GreenKarmas & Founders Ambassador Member.
Ingmar RentzhogFounder We Don't Have Time
Ingmar Rentzhog is the Founder of We Don't Have Time. We Don’t Have Time is the world's largest review platform for climate solutions. Search for WeDontHaveTime in Apple app store or Google Play.
We Don’t Have Time is a movement and a tech startup that leverages the power of social media to hold leaders and companies accountable for climate change. The organisation was founded in Sweden 2017 and has since then become the world’s largest social media for climate solutions.
With 85,000 climate influencers and over 300 corporate partners on our platform, we reach 190 million people every month. We have to date raised 10 mEUR in pre-series A fundings and are now ready to scale up. We Don’t Have Time is a movement and a tech startup that leverages the power of social media to hold leaders and companies accountable for climate change.
The organisation was founded in Sweden 2017 and has since then become the world’s largest social media for climate solutions. With 85,000 climate influencers and over 300 corporate partners on our platform, we reach 190 million people every month. We have to date raised 10 mEUR in pre-series A fundings and are now ready to scale up.
- Skills: Climate Change · Communication · Strategic Communications · Entrepreneurship · Management
Founders Planet Workshop in Collaboration with We Don't Have Time
Five speaker introductions on different aspects of growing 'Planet' companies for positive impact founders, each with a maximum of 8 minutes, will inspire roundtable discussions and the global stream of We Don't HaveTime. The session is moderated by Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder We Don't Have Time & Co-Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
Introductory speeches for roundtable discussions (participants will select their preferred roundtable upon registration):
- Leading the Energy Transition through Entrepreneurship by Joachim Karthäuser, Founder of Climeon and Zelk & Leader of Founders Planet Quest.
- Sustainable Infrastructure in the Nordics by Philip Ajina, Founder of Infranode & Member of Founders Group 2.
- ESG for Founders by Malin Lindfors Speace, Founder of Ethos & Member of Founders Group 2.
- Building Sustainability Companies in India and Beyond by Aticka Chona, Founder of GreenKarmas & Founders Ambassador Member.
Ulf StenerhagFounder Wayout
Ulf Stenerhag has over 20 years of experience in leading multinational organizations within the Life Science industry. In 2019, Ulf sold his company since 20 years, Thurne Teknik, to Addtech, a public company listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. He is educated at The Royal Institute of Technology with a MSc degree within Engineering and Business Management.
Ulf has over the last 15 years been engaged in several NGOs and in panels for intergovernmental exchange. Ulf has also been engaged as public speaker within the field of value based leadership.
Since 2018 founder and CEO of Wayout, a revolutionizing innovation company that solves multiple challenges around the supply of safe drinking water.
Ulf also founded the charity organization Not For Sale Beverages and is a co-founder of African Bureau of Music.
Case StudyThe Creation of LIWLIG – A Nordic Powerhouse in Events
LIWLIG was born from the merger of leading event agencies across the Nordics, bringing together a wealth of expertise, creativity, and passion for crafting world-class brand experiences. Recognizing the potential of collaboration, Sofi Franzén and her team spearheaded the formation of LIWLIG to create a unified force in the event industry - one that could deliver impactful experiences at scale while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative edge of its founding agencies.
By integrating companies with complementary strengths, LIWLIG has established itself as the leading Nordic event agency, offering a seamless blend of strategy, creativity, and execution. The company thrives on curiosity, innovation, and a shared vision, ensuring that every event creates momentum for the client. Through strategic mergers and acquisitions, LIWLIG has continuously evolved, staying at the forefront of industry trends and setting new standards for brand engagement across the Nordics and beyond.
Sofi Franzén is the co-founder of LIWLIG, the leading Nordic event agency. A visionary leader with a deep passion for leadership, company culture, and brand experiences, she has built a thriving organization known for its innovative approach to events.
Sofi believes in creating a company culture where everyone knows where they are going, how to get there, and feels excited about the journey. Under her leadership, LIWLIG has expanded through strategic mergers and acquisitions, bringing together top talent across the Nordics to enhance brand experiences through cutting-edge events and communication strategies.
Beyond her role at LIWLIG, Sofi is a sought-after speaker on leadership, company culture, and entrepreneurship. She is actively involved in mentoring young entrepreneurs, serving on boards, and sharing her expertise to inspire the next generation of business leaders. Her curiosity about emerging trends and commitment to innovation make her a driving force in the event industry.
Read more here: LIWLIG.SE
Mastering Mergers & Acquisitions: Two Paths to Growth
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are more than just business transactions - they are strategic moves that shape industries, drive innovation, and create long-term value. Whether you are looking to expand your company, enter new markets, or enhance capabilities, M&A can be a powerful tool. But how do you navigate the complexities of deal-making, valuation, and post-merger integration successfully?
In this session, we explore two distinct yet highly successful approaches to M&A through real-world case studies:
🔹 LIWLIG – A Nordic event agency that has scaled rapidly by fully integrating acquired companies into a unified powerhouse.
🔹 Qgroup – A consulting and tech company that focus on entrepreneurial autonomy within its acquired businesses, creating a decentralized yet thriving ecosystem.
Sofi Franzén, co-founder & CEO of LIWLIG, and Mikael Kretz, co-founder of Qgroup, will share their M&A experiences, strategies, and lessons learned. Whether you're considering a structured integration or a decentralized acquisition model, this workshop will provide practical insights to help you shape your own M&A strategy.
Program
09:45-10:00 Case Study 1: LIWLIG – Scaling Through Full Integration with Sofi Franzén
10:00-10:15 Case Study 2: Qgroup – Focus on Autonomy Within an Acquired Ecosystem with Mikael Kretz
10:15-11:15 Round Table Workshops - you will participate in a roundtable workshop to discuss your own M&A challenges, moderated by moderated by experienced founders with expertise in mergers and acquisitions.
11:15-11:45 Key Conclusions - a brief summary of key findings from each roundtable discussion.
Case Study 1: LIWLIG – Scaling Through Full Integration
Co-Founder & CEO: Sofi Franzén
LIWLIG, a leading Nordic event agency, has strategically expanded through mergers and acquisitions, creating a powerhouse in the industry. By integrating top event agencies across Sweden, Finland, and Norway, LIWLIG has successfully built a unified organization with shared values, a strong company culture, and a streamlined operational structure.
Key Learnings from LIWLIG’s M&A Approach:
- Strategic Acquisition – Selecting companies that complement and enhance LIWLIG’s core expertise.
- Cultural Integration – Ensuring smooth transitions by aligning company values and leadership styles.
- Scalability & Efficiency – Leveraging M&A to expand service offerings and strengthen market presence.
LIWLIG’s journey highlights the power of full integration, where acquired companies become part of a larger, cohesive entity, enabling synergies, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Case Study 2: Qgroup – Focus on Autonomy Within an Acquired Ecosystem
Co-Founder: Mikael Kretz
Qgroup has taken a different approach to growth through acquisitions—focusing on entrepreneur-led companies and fostering autonomy rather than full integration. By acquiring independent tech and consulting firms while allowing them to maintain their unique identities, Qgroup has built a decentralized, high-performance ecosystem.
Key Learnings from Qgroup’s M&A Approach:
- Selective Acquisition – Choosing companies that align with Qgroup’s entrepreneurial philosophy.
- Decentralized Growth – Allowing acquired businesses to operate independently while benefiting from shared resources.
- Long-Term Value Creation – Prioritizing innovation and leadership retention over complete structural integration.
Qgroup’s model demonstrates how acquisitions can drive success without losing the entrepreneurial DNA, enabling companies to scale while preserving agility and creativity.
After the case studies, you will participate in a roundtable workshop to discuss your own M&A challenges, moderated by experienced founders with expertise in mergers and acquisitions. The session will conclude with a brief summary of key findings from each roundtable discussion.
Niclas CarlssonFounder and CEO Founders Alliance
Niclas Carlsson is the founder and CEO, of Founders Alliance. Carlsson established this collaborative business forum in 2002 to unite large-scale founders and owners of international growth companies. The platform facilitates peer-to-peer collaboration for sustainable growth.
Social Impact Initiatives: Carlsson is actively involved in several organizations focused on social impact, such as Emotions Network, We Don’t Have Time, and Star for Life. His commitment to societal betterment is evident through his support and participation in these initiatives.
Personal Interests: Beyond his professional endeavors, Carlsson is an endurance athlete who has completed ultramarathons and adventure races. He also dedicates time as a youth trainer in Orienteering Running, reflecting his passion for sports and community engagement.
4th Women Founders Lunch Summit with Patricia Olby Kimondo & Niclas Carlsson
Join us for a special lunch seminar where founders and community leaders come together to create positive change for women founders.
Led by Patricia Olby Kimondo, Founder of People Productions, and Niclas Carlsson, Founder & CEO of Founders Alliance, this event focuses on the challenges women founders face, especially in small and medium-sized businesses.
With research-based discussions and practical insights, we aim to build a more inclusive and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Through the power of collaboration, we bring together our network of experienced founders, industry experts, and advocates. These connections form a platform for sharing experiences, offering valuable insights, and developing effective strategies to overcome systemic barriers.
What to Expect:
- Inspiring keynotes and panel discussions with top founders and community leaders.
- Networking with stakeholders dedicated to supporting women in entrepreneurship.
Read more here: The 4th Women Founders Summit
Peder AsplundFounder Agapi Boating
Peder Asplund is the visionary founder behind Agapi Boating, a company revolutionizing the boating industry with its innovative membership-based boating model. With a passion for the sea and a mission to make boating more accessible, sustainable, and hassle-free, Peder has redefined the way people experience life on the water.
Under his leadership, Agapi Boating combines cutting-edge technology, premium boats, and shared economy principles to offer a seamless, high-quality boating experience. His entrepreneurial journey reflects a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and a true love for the boating lifestyle.
Mehboob (Mebs) DossaFounder McGuireWoods
About Mebs
Mebs specialises in advising multinationals, capital providers, independent sponsors, family offices, private equity portfolio companies and executives on a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, co- investments, leveraged buy-outs, joint ventures, restructuring, setting up operations in the UK, structured equity investments, divestitures, commercial/supply chain transactions and corporate governance matters. He also advises emerging-growth and early-stage companies.
His practice over the years has focused on UK inbound work from various jurisdictions, in particular the US and Canada and have involved a diverse scope of industries including health care, private equity, energy, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and services, technology and financial services.
In addition, Mebs advises on securities and corporate finance transactions including listings on the AIM and Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, delistings, continuing obligations, Takeover Panel rules and insider dealing rules.
Mebs also specialises in compliance with UK and EU data protection laws, in particular EU-US cross-border data transfers, GDPR compliance by US and Canadian multinationals which are within scope of the GDPR and security incident responses. He holds the CIPP/E certification as a Certified Information Privacy Professional from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Mebs is also a Governing Partner of McGuireWoods London and holds other compliance positions with the firm.
Experience
- Representation of a leading provider of care home services on the acquisition of a UK based business.
- Representation of a leading global independent loss adjuster on its merger with a major player based in the UK and subsequent acquisition of businesses in the UK and Europe.
- Representation of a Swedish listed business on the acquisition of property leasehold interest in the UK.
- Representation of NYSE listed GNC on its cash acquisition of Discount Supplements, the United Kingdom’s largest multi-brand sports nutrition e-tailer.
- Representation of the Nomad on the listing on AIM of MoneySwap plc, a specialist foreign exchange service provider in Asia with a market capitalisation of £20m.
- Representation of a leading vendor management systems provider on the acquisition of property leasehold interest in London.
- Representation of an investment bank on secondary financing by various AIM companies with assets in Russia, Middle East and USA.
- Representation of NYSE-listed Teledyne Technologies Incorporated on its acquisition of UK-based, AIM-listed Intelek PLC worth approximately £30 million.
- Representation of various mineral and energy companies with assets based in CIS and Latin America, advising on acquisition of assets and associated rights, private and institutional fundraising (US$10 to US$125) and listing on the AIM market.
- Representation of a Middle Eastern client on the purchases of hotel businesses (including freehold and leasehold properties) for consideration in excess of £85m.
- Representation of a client on setting up a multimillion dollar private equity fund in the Middle East.
- Representation of large corporations on setting up of their operations in the financial centres and free-zones in the GCC region.
- Representation of a client in the first ever court case in the Qatar Finance Centre in winding-up of a joint-venture.
- Representation of a U.S. major on its planning and implementation of post-acquisition integration involving 11 jurisdictions.
- Representation of a large medical devices corporation on the post-acquisition integration involving 13 jurisdictions in Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia.
- Representation of U.S. multinationals on data transfers from EEA countries and compliance with EU data privacy requirements.
- Representation of an EU-based structured investment company on passporting its regulatory authorizations into the UK, its UK operations, and ongoing compliance matters.
- Representation of an investment bank on an abortive cross-border U.S. $50 million IPO fundraising and admission to AIM of a Middle Eastern produce distribution company.
- Representation of Petrolatina Plc (formerly Taghmen Energy plc) on its admission to AIM subsequent to its private placement of US $20 million.
- Representation of a UK-based Latin American resources company on its cross-border acquisition of various mining properties, pre-IPO funding totaling US $60 million, and aborted reverse into an AIM-listed company.
Neo MoretonFounder & Executive Coach BYOND Urban OM
Founder & Executive Coach
Specializes in guiding ambitious yet grounded founders to scale from within. Brings a deep background in personal transformation, having spent years leading international workshops and retreats, appearing on television, writing columns, and contributing to major publications. Author of Being Real for a Change and creator of the Microshift Method and AIYANA mobile app. Published guided meditations for both adults and children, and contributed to Stillpoints for Children (Speechmarks, 2012).
Background
Early Career in Technology
Neo Moreton began his career in the tech industry, building his first dotcom business in Hong Kong at the age of 26. However, after the events of September 11, 2001, he experienced a profound shift in perspective, leading him to seek a more meaningful path. This transition prompted him to immerse himself in meditation and yoga, spending significant time in Byron Bay, Australia.
Shift to Mindfulness and Social Impact
Neo co-founded the New York-based charity Reach Within in 2008, an organization supporting vulnerable children through wellness programs. In 2012, he established Urban OM Centre for Inner Growth in Stockholm, helping urban dwellers reconnect with themselves. Urban OM offers a contemporary approach to yoga and meditation, emphasizing realness and truth over traditional dogmas.
Entrepreneurial Ventures
In 2018, Neo founded BYOND, an inner growth accelerator for entrepreneurs seeking alignment between personal and professional goals. His entrepreneurial spirit continued with the launch of Microshift AI in 2023, reflecting his interest in the intersection of technology and personal development.
Authorship and Thought Leadership
As an author, Neo has contributed to several works on personal growth and authenticity. His book Being Real for a Change explores embracing one's true self by integrating meditation and manifestation practices. He has also contributed to Stillpoints for Children and offers a free e-book, BYOND E-book, providing leadership growth hacks for founders and entrepreneurs.
Speaking Engagements
Neo is recognized as a captivating speaker, blending business acumen with artistic expression to deliver powerful messages on personal and professional growth. His holistic approach spans business, technology, and self-leadership, encouraging audiences to tap into their inner vision for life.
Educational Background
Neo holds a law degree from London and has furthered his education at Columbia Business School in New York, IE Business School in Madrid, and the THNK School for Creative Leadership in Amsterdam.
Personal Philosophy
At the core of Neo's work is the belief in "being real," which he defines as acknowledging both the past and present while maintaining a focus on the future. He advocates for embracing the chaos of life, learning from experiences, and striving to be more authentic each day.
Through his multifaceted career, Neo Moreton continues to inspire individuals to pursue genuine growth and transformation in both personal and professional spheres.
Case StudyFocus on Autonomy Within an Acquired Ecosystem
Mikael Kretz – Co-Founder & Strategic Growth Leader
Mikael Kretz is the co-founder of Qgroup, a fast-growing consulting and tech company that has mastered the art of scaling through acquisitions while fostering entrepreneurial autonomy. With a strong belief in empowering leaders and businesses, Mikael has built Qgroup into a high-performance ecosystem where acquired companies retain their independence while benefiting from shared resources, expertise, and strategic guidance.
Under Mikael’s leadership, Qgroup has successfully expanded by attracting and integrating entrepreneur-led companies, creating a decentralized yet collaborative network that thrives on innovation and agility. His approach to M&A, leadership, and long-term value creation sets him apart as a visionary in the industry.
Beyond Qgroup, Mikael is an active speaker and mentor, sharing his insights on growth strategies, leadership, and M&A. His passion lies in helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses while maintaining the culture and drive that made them successful in the first place.
Mastering Mergers & Acquisitions: Two Paths to Growth
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are more than just business transactions - they are strategic moves that shape industries, drive innovation, and create long-term value. Whether you are looking to expand your company, enter new markets, or enhance capabilities, M&A can be a powerful tool. But how do you navigate the complexities of deal-making, valuation, and post-merger integration successfully?
In this session, we explore two distinct yet highly successful approaches to M&A through real-world case studies:
🔹 LIWLIG – A Nordic event agency that has scaled rapidly by fully integrating acquired companies into a unified powerhouse.
🔹 Qgroup – A consulting and tech company that focus on entrepreneurial autonomy within its acquired businesses, creating a decentralized yet thriving ecosystem.
Sofi Franzén, co-founder & CEO of LIWLIG, and Mikael Kretz, co-founder of Qgroup, will share their M&A experiences, strategies, and lessons learned. Whether you're considering a structured integration or a decentralized acquisition model, this workshop will provide practical insights to help you shape your own M&A strategy.
Program
09:45-10:00 Case Study 1: LIWLIG – Scaling Through Full Integration with Sofi Franzén
10:00-10:15 Case Study 2: Qgroup – Focus on Autonomy Within an Acquired Ecosystem with Mikael Kretz
10:15-11:15 Round Table Workshops - you will participate in a roundtable workshop to discuss your own M&A challenges, moderated by moderated by experienced founders with expertise in mergers and acquisitions.
11:15-11:45 Key Conclusions - a brief summary of key findings from each roundtable discussion.
Case Study 1: LIWLIG – Scaling Through Full Integration
Co-Founder & CEO: Sofi Franzén
LIWLIG, a leading Nordic event agency, has strategically expanded through mergers and acquisitions, creating a powerhouse in the industry. By integrating top event agencies across Sweden, Finland, and Norway, LIWLIG has successfully built a unified organization with shared values, a strong company culture, and a streamlined operational structure.
Key Learnings from LIWLIG’s M&A Approach:
- Strategic Acquisition – Selecting companies that complement and enhance LIWLIG’s core expertise.
- Cultural Integration – Ensuring smooth transitions by aligning company values and leadership styles.
- Scalability & Efficiency – Leveraging M&A to expand service offerings and strengthen market presence.
LIWLIG’s journey highlights the power of full integration, where acquired companies become part of a larger, cohesive entity, enabling synergies, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Case Study 2: Qgroup – Focus on Autonomy Within an Acquired Ecosystem
Co-Founder: Mikael Kretz
Qgroup has taken a different approach to growth through acquisitions—focusing on entrepreneur-led companies and fostering autonomy rather than full integration. By acquiring independent tech and consulting firms while allowing them to maintain their unique identities, Qgroup has built a decentralized, high-performance ecosystem.
Key Learnings from Qgroup’s M&A Approach:
- Selective Acquisition – Choosing companies that align with Qgroup’s entrepreneurial philosophy.
- Decentralized Growth – Allowing acquired businesses to operate independently while benefiting from shared resources.
- Long-Term Value Creation – Prioritizing innovation and leadership retention over complete structural integration.
Qgroup’s model demonstrates how acquisitions can drive success without losing the entrepreneurial DNA, enabling companies to scale while preserving agility and creativity.
After the case studies, you will participate in a roundtable workshop to discuss your own M&A challenges, moderated by experienced founders with expertise in mergers and acquisitions. The session will conclude with a brief summary of key findings from each roundtable discussion.
