Team size: 12

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

At Heimstaden, we have built a strong foundation, making handling “waves and ripples” much easier. We have used the quieter market conditions throughout 2024 to refine the organisation and processes even further. Although transaction volumes are not currently at the pace, any investor in residential real estate would ideally prefer, our company is in a strong position, supporting our financial metrics through our legal counsel and expertise, and building the legal platform for future growth.

What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?

In the second half of 2024, Heimstaden re-entered the capital markets and re-established its SEK and EUR curves. We closed the year with a landmark transaction that reopened the hybrid market through a new hybrid issuance, marking the first issuance of hybrid debt in the European real estate market since late 2021. This was a major milestone for the entire organisation. In addition, our successful Privatisation Programme (sale of certain residential individual units after churn) across five markets aims for a SEK 20,000m sales target by the end of 2025. The legal team is viewed as a trusted business advisor and has together with other departments in the organisation played a pivotal role in Heimstaden’s commercial success and in navigating the transition through recent years of uncertainty.

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?

Sustainability goes beyond aligning with our values – it is also a key driver of long-term value creation. By focusing on sustainable investments and solutions, we boost operational efficiency, enhance our value proposition for tenants, and increase the value of our assets. In 2024, Heimstaden Bostad reported based on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This achievement marks a milestone in providing a comprehensive view of our initiatives, showcasing the impact of our activities across the entire value chain. Together with many talented colleagues across the organisation, the legal team has contributed to making our sustainability and GRC reporting more transparent.

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment?

At Heimstaden, creating an open and inclusive work environment is a priority for the entire organisation – not just for our legal team. We aim to ensure all talents can join and thrive at Heimstaden and value differences as a driver of innovation. It starts with recruiting from a diverse talent pool. A few examples: we have eliminated traditional application forms and instead focus on unbiased testing early in the process; our internal recruiters always present a diverse range of candidates to hiring managers; and we continue to highlight our values and approach to diversity and inclusion throughout our external communications. Finally, we prioritise training and open discussions within Heimstaden to ensure we foster a welcoming and engaging workplace at all levels of the organisation.