Apart from Ikano, Ikea’s group structure is comprised of Ingka Holding BV, which owns the majority of Ikea stores, and Inter Ikea Group, which controls the brand concept and franchising rights. The two structures are valued at almost $47 billion, making Ingvar Kamprad the world’s seventh-richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Ingvar Kamprad founded Almhult, Sweden-based Ikea in 1943. He created a network of holding companies and legal entities more than 30 years ago with the intent of establishing long-term control of the company. Because he ultimately controls this structure, the Bloomberg ranking credits the billionaire with the value of these companies. Kamprad disputes this.
Two Foundations
“Ingvar Kamprad is not interested in money for personal consumption, his focus has rather been on securing continuous success for the company groups he founded,” Per Heggenes, spokesman for Ingvar Kamprad, said by e-mail. “That is reflected in his decision to relinquish his ownership in the 1980s and instead donate the shares to two separate foundations.”
His three sons declined to comment on their net worth, said Ikano spokeswoman Charlotte Boij.
Each brother serves as a boardmember of one of the three companies that constitute the Ikea group, and have spent most of their careers working for the family business.
“It’s unsurprising that the trio would rather remain a little reclusive, especially as their father has the tendency to let them know if something is not perfect,” former Ikea executive Lennart Dahlgren, who co-wrote the book “Ikea Heading for the Future,” said by e-mail. “Ingvar Kamprad has a rare, strong charisma.”
Last summer, Mathias Kamprad was made chairman of Inter Ikea Group, a move that underscored the generational change under way at the Swedish retailer as its founder takes a less active role.
“Ikea is in the midst of an epoch shift,” author Bjork said. “Ingvar Kamprad turns 88 at the end of March. His oldest son turns 50. It will be very interesting to see what will happen and we don’t know yet what the influence of the sons will be.”