The business leader Lovisa Hamrin graduated from the Stockholm School of Economics in 1997, and a few years later she took over her family company Herenco. Herenco is an independent and family-run company that through acquisitions creates, develops, and refines companies and brands, primarily in the area around Jönköping in southern Sweden where the head office is located. The company has been in the family for 150 years and is active in, among other things, the packaging industry. Lovisa is now the owner and chairman of Herenco Holding, as well as chairman of the Hamrin Foundation.

Running a company that has been in the family for several generations is twofold, according to Lovisa.

"In one scale lies the responsibility for a legacy, for employees and for securing the company's future capital. In the second scale the freedom to create and follow one's own path forward; the curiosity of the undone, the curiosity of the possible. The will to take risks and the courage to fail. And also the joy of seeing people and business move forward, succeed and become successful. But you are almost never finished, and it is both inspiring and burdensome", says Lovisa.

Art Initiative at SSE

The purpose of the Art Initiative is to embed art in the academic environment at SSE to make the school even more knowledge intensive. It’s done mainly through work with the permanent collection, exhibitions of video-based art and exhibitions by contemporary artists, but also through art talks and workshops that encourage students to creative thinking and to create. Art Initiative also works closely with the student union's art group Art Division. Creating meetings between academia, industry and the public sector is one of Hamrin Foundation's goals. That is reflected in the investment in the Art Initiative, which is led by Tinni Ernsjöö Rappe and researcher Pierre Guillet de Monthoux at SSE.

In her contact with SSE President Lars Strannegård and Pierre Guillet de Monthoux, who has been involved in building up the Art Initiative, Lovisa has been touched by the deep personal commitment behind the initiative and the exciting conversations she has been able to have. She think that it’s important that Lars introduced more humanities and creativity in the education agenda.

"Art Initiative is not only an asset for SSE, but also for the stakeholders – and we are one of them - who choose to invest in the project, and thus gain access to a flow of ideas and a network of exciting people. For me, this is a way to secure future relevance, as a person and as a company", she says.

Broad educational base needed to solve social problems

Lovisa believes that with a broader educational base, complex problems are tackled differently. This is important given that many students will have societal challenges to solve in their future roles as leading entrepreneurs and other roles in the society. She sees the power of art as a method and makes connections to entrepreneurship. Aesthetics gives you energy that gives you a desire to do things and do something, which is a strong driving force for entrepreneurship, she says.

"It’s only afterwards that I’ve understood how important a motif, or a song really has been for me. What I find so enormously attractive and appealing is the absolute freedom to never let oneself be defined by anything other than oneself. For me, art stands for absolute freedom from everything, the art is not demanding anything from me and my relationship to art is 110% based on love", says Lovisa.

She does not see her contribution to the Art Initiative as a donation in the true sense.

"I think that the meaning of the word donation feels old-fashioned, I rather think that I am making an investment in future skills. And with that, I have the hope that this competence will one day will be beneficial for me and other companies. I am a curious citizen with the privilege of being able to influence our common direction and development, primarily through the companies we own and are involved in, but also through other methods and contexts - and the Art Initiative is one such context. I immediately felt that I believe in this, and it also feels rewarding and fun to be able to support Lars Strannegård on this educational journey", Lovisa concludes.