As Europe faces widening wealth gaps, rising climate pressures, and a demographic shift toward longer retirements, traditional financial advice is no longer enough. Companies today want more than solid pension and investment products — they want to build resilience, protect their people and position themselves as employers of choice in a rapidly changing world.
Max Matthiessen, one of the Nordic region’s most established advisory firms, is meeting this moment by evolving how it defines and delivers value. Whether it’s structuring forward-looking pension plans, crafting insurance and risk strategies, or designing benefit architectures that support attraction and retention, the company’s approach goes well beyond transactions. It’s about preparing businesses and their employees for the future in ways that balance financial strength, human wellbeing, and long-term impact.
In recent years, the company has begun reshaping how it defines and delivers advice. Digital tools have expanded its reach and changing expectations from customers and clients have inspired the company to rethink how wealth is defined, exploring wellbeing and sustainable development to partner with clients to shape more holistic value. The result? Reorient the business around one direction that guides all efforts: thriving together.
Rather than respond with one large shift, the company has introduced a series of smaller, integrated changes: a new knowledge platform, expanded sustainability metrics, new approaches to employee wellbeing, and product development for a holistic view of pensions within a household. Through these efforts, Max Matthiessen is expanding advisory from maximizing portfolio returns to supporting clients in achieving their long-term goals.
Max Matthiessen’s role in a changing financial system
Max Matthiessen provides independent advice in pensions, insurance, investments, and savings – guiding individuals, companies, and organizations through long-term financial decisions. Operating across Sweden, Denmark and Norway the firm helps navigate complex markets, regulatory changes, and life transitions with clarity and structure. Its services are built on trust, specialist knowledge, and a regulated advisory model – supporting better outcomes across financial wellbeing, risk protection and asset allocation.
Addressing real-world inequality
At the centre of these efforts is a recognition that financial advice is deeply human. In 2025, Max Matthiessen launched ParPension, an initiative aimed at addressing the gender pension gap – along-standing issue in many dual-income households. The service allows partners to redistribute pension contributions more equitably over time, acknowledging that caregiving responsibilities often impact one partner’s long-term financial outcomes.
While the technical setup is simple, the concept is not. ParPension challenges norms around earnings, value, and equality in away that few financial products do. It also reflects a broader shift in the firm’s advisory philosophy: moving from transactional advice to long-term financial planning grounded in real-life contexts.
Delivering healthy returns without compromising sustainability
Recognizing that returns also can be measured through the impact that is created is another example of Max Matthiessen’s innovative pursuits. By updating pensions policies and aligning them with a company’s sustainability policy, curating investment options that deliver both strong financial returns and measurable sustainability outcomes, clients’ employees can be empowered to make informed responsible choices. Nudging techniques and targeted education further support employees in selecting a pension portfolio that turns monthly savings into a long-term force for positive change.
Supporting people behind the advice
This people-first logic is also visible inside the company. Like many professional services firms, Max Matthiessen operates in a demanding environment, with high expectations on client service, regulation and continuous development. In response, the company has made a sustained and practical commitment to employee well-being – not only as a concept, Jacob Schlawitz, CEO of Max Matthiessen since 2020, is a strong champion for innovation but as a daily priority. Through structured health and engagement surveys, leadership development, and initiatives supporting mental, social, and physical balance, the aim is to help people feel well – and do well – over time with impressive and award-winning results.
Competence development is also central. The company offers regular internal training on ethics, sustainability and regulatory frameworks, alongside voluntary participation in webinars and structured learning via its platform, Maxa. The aim is not just to meet requirements – but to build confidence, consistency and motivation across teams.
Adapting while staying grounded
The advisory sector across Europe is experiencing consolidation, digitalisation and increasing regulation. But while the landscape is shifting, Max Matthiessen’s approach remains grounded in long-term principles.
‘Greenhouse’ is the in-house innovation lab to co-create and foster growth. Based on future trends and deep research into the needs of clients and customers, Max Matthiessen has set a bold Northstar ambition. The company continues to strengthen its position through selective acquisitions and through its partnership-based ownership structure.
