Gustaf Douglas built one of Sweden’s greatest fortunes – not from inherited wealth,
despite his upbringing in high aristocracy with castles and field marshals in the family,
but through 40 years of dramatic business ventures at the heart of Swedish industry. In
his memoirs, he openly and revealingly recounts a dark childhood marked by bullying,
“educational advice” and low self-confidence. However, his intellect, defiance and
relentless drive for revenge propelled him on an extraordinary life journey.
After being fired as CEO of the Dagens Nyheter group, he began building his own
business empire, creating some of Sweden’s largest companies – global giants like
Securitas and Assa Abloy. The risks were high, with several “near death” experiences in
business, yet he always found a way to rise again. Family, art, books and experiences of
nature provided strength when everything seemed lost.
With sharp wit and self-reflection, Gustaf Douglas shares insights into the business
world’s closed-door negotiations, where the biggest and smallest players in industry and
politics navigate the game. His reflections culminate in a philosophy of ownership that
values long-term thinking, belief in human potential, and a world-view shaped by
humanism and deep humility towards the fate we all must wrestle with – life itself.
This book has become a classic in Swedish business literature, and the English edition
was published following Gustaf Douglas’s passing in 2023.