Denmark’s biggest commercial pension fund PFA said it plans to invest between DKK15bn (€2bn) and DKK20bn in Danish businesses over the next five years, preferring to remain a minority shareholder in the companies.

In an interview with Danish financial daily Børsen, Henrik Heideby, group head and chief executive at PFA, said: “We will increase investments by up to 10% of our total holdings in the next five years. This corresponds to DKK30bn to DKK40bn. Half of that will be in Danish businesses.”

PFA will invest broadly across sectors to spread its risk, he said.

“We don’t want to be the main owner of companies,” he added.

“Experience shows that businesses that are owned by pension funds alone do badly.”

However, PFA could invest alongside a capital fund, he said, adding that many companies would like to have PFA as an investor, as it is seen as an endorsement.

“We get a lot of inquiries,” he said.

PFA is particularly interested in investing in larger companies, Heideby said. 

But since there is not such a huge range of big companies in Denmark, it is also possible PFA will gather a group of investments and invest jointly, he said.

“There are many thoughts and possibilities about this,” he said.