MAY 13 2026
John Damgaard, Chairman of Siteimprove, shares his perspective on stepping into a company already owned by Nordic Capital and reflects on how active ownership shapes collaboration between owners, the Board and management.
Drawing on deep board experience, John views private equity as a powerful model for building durable value. In his words, effective ownership is not about short-term fixes, but about deliberately architecting enterprise value over time.
In his experience, what distinguishes Nordic Capital is the depth of their operational expertise across the business. From product and technology to go-to-market, cloud optimisation and purchasing, he points to a level of substance and specialisation that allows Boards and management teams to move quickly and focus on the right priorities.
"Nordic Capital has the most substantive group in every area, from product and tech to go-to-market and cloud optimisation. They have the depth within those areas, and the people who show up are the top of their fields, so they don’t waste your time. Everything is deliberate and geared towards creating enterprise value", John says.
John also highlights how this expertise translates into practical support. At Siteimprove, Nordic Capital’s in-house teams have contributed hands-on knowledge in areas such as go-to-market execution and sales compensation, bringing clear benchmarks and proven frameworks to complex commercial questions.
From a Board perspective, John emphasises the importance of being purposeful about where the business is heading across the ownership period. With clear goals, clear metrics and disciplined execution, he sees active ownership as a key driver of long-term performance.
Watch the video to hear John Damgaard’s perspective on leadership, partnership and active ownership in practice.
