Who we are

Consilio International AB was founded in 2011 on the belief that geopolitics would become a defining factor for Swedish multinational companies. This insight emerged from a conversation among the four founders, all of whom had extensive backgrounds in geopolitics, national security, and industry. From the beginning, the idea was to bring together diverse perspectives and experiences to enhance the decision-making capabilities of Consilio’s clients. This vision is illustrated by the founders’ varied backgrounds:

• Erik Belfrage: Senior advisor to a leading Swedish industrial family
• Jan Nygren: Minister of coordination in Ingvar Carlsson’s Social Democratic government (1994-96) and later board member and executive of several private sector companies
• Ambassador Michael Sahlin: Former state secretary of defense in Carl Bildt’s Conservative/Moderate government (1991-94) and a central figure in the Swedish foreign service and security establishment
• Andreas von der Heide: First managing partner and CEO, with extensive experience in private economic diplomacy and advisory roles on geopolitics.

The first board meeting was held in Erik Belfrage’s living room, where the initial business plan was defined. The plan emphasized that “geopolitics will, in the future, be—if not the most important factor in corporate decision-making—at least a very important one.”

One of Consilio’s early initiatives was to highlight the potential for conflict between Russia and “the West,” predicting economic separation that would impact Swedish companies invested in Russia. Based on initial skepticism from some of the Swedish industrial companies courted with the idea, Erik Belfrage, somewhat frustrated after a client meeting, used a vivid metaphor to illustrate Consilio’s value. He turned the world map in the office upside down and said, “This is what we provide—it’s the same world but from a new perspective.” This approach convinced some companies to adopt Consilio’s scenario model, enabling them to swiftly exit Russia in 2022.

Ambassador Frank Belfrage later joined the founding partners, bringing additional expertise from almost 50 years of diplomatic service and government office to Consilio. Over the years, the company has added several senior advisors with diverse backgrounds in diplomacy, politics, and intelligence. They have also built a talented team of professional analysts and project managers, supported by various functional teams.

For many years, the company was located in an old apartment with a nice fireplace and a statue of an owl crowning the roof at Nybrogatan 12 but moved to Västmannagatan 4 in 2023.