Pentti Kouri

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Pentti Juho Kalervo Kouri (born February 12, 1949 in Kemijärvi) is a Finnish economist and venture capitalist.

He was the first Finn to get a stipend to Atlantic College. After graduating from there, he got his Master's degree in economics from University of Helsinki in 1970. At that same year, when he was just 21 years old, he was hired by the International Monetary Fund. It was in IMF's research organization where Kouri first met Michael Porter, with whom he later developed the Kouri-Porter model. Kouri got his Ph.D. in Economics from MIT in 1974. He has served as a professor of economics in Stanford, Yale, Helsinki, and New York universities.

Later he become known as a venture capitalist, for instance, he managed George Soros's investments to Finland. Today, he is remembered for his participation to controversial "Kouri-deals" in late 1980s. In "Kouri-deals", a group of investors including Dr. Kouri collaborated to buy a majority of two largest banks of Finland, mostly with borrowed money, causing a political outcry.

He was married to Elly O. Kouri and divorced in 1995.

He currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Dia Art Foundation.

On May 2001, the Kouri Capital group led by Dr Pentti Kouri and George Soros was declared bankrupt (data from Security Exchange Commission). American Heritage Fund lost large amount of money because of this insolvency.

Companies related to Pentti Kouri:

  • Nokia: Pentti Kouri was a shareholder and member of the board of directors.
  • Invisible hand.
  • Espial
  • Amiga, Inc.: Pentti Kouri is the chairman of the board.
  • hakia, Inc.: Pentti Kouri is a shareholder and member of the board of directors.
  • Askar Capital: Pentti Kouri is a member of the advisory board.
  • Ztango: Pentti Kouri was a Co-Founder and an investor. The company was acquired by WiderThan in 2004.

[edit] References

  • Pentti Kouri (1996) Suomen omistaja ja muut elämäni roolit, Otava (trans. of title: Owner of Finland and other roles of my life)
  • Harri Saukkomaa (1991) Kuka tarvitsi Pentti Kouria?, Otava (trans. of title: Who needed Pentti Kouri?)

[edit] Quotes

  • "I have lost my past, but what money I have lost; I know I can earn it back in multiples. I have the ability to create wealth!"
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