This interview features Nicolai Tangen, the head of Norges Bank Investment Management, which oversees the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world. Tangen discusses his background, his role in managing the fund, and his perspectives on investing and life.
Tangen explains the fund was established in 1996 and is built on revenue from Norway's oil reserves, discovered in 1969. The politicians created a "spending rule" which limits the amount that can be spent yearly, he oversees a staff of 700 who are dedicated to managing the investment and staying within the framework of the fund. A key aspect of the fund is the 3% spending rule, meaning that only 3% of the fund's value can be used for the state budget annually, which currently accounts for 20-25% of the country's budget. He emphasizes the transparency of the fund, with a real-time ticker on their website updating the fund's value 13 times per second.
Before taking on this role, Tangen had a successful career in the private sector, running a hedge fund called AKO Capital for 15 years. He felt he had reached a point where his learning had plateaued, and this role presented the opportunity to combine asset management, organizational development, and serving his country.
He shares his view on the current investment environment, noting that while Trump's "America First" policies might be beneficial in the short term, potential tariffs could negatively impact European companies. He is cautiously optimistic about the impact of those policies.
Tangen highlights that since the fund is so large, it needs to be primarily indexed and diversified. He also noted they have decentralized investment mandates within the company. He also says they are constantly being scrutinized and criticized in the papers because they're too much or too little in a certain investment, or because something has gone wrong.
In terms of investment ideas, Tangen advocates for long-term diversification across asset classes and geographies. He suggests a contrarian approach, such as selling US tech stocks, buying Chinese stocks, and investing in out-of-favor assets. He admits the investment team has made a lot of money on Artificial Intelligence stocks, so he says that it has been fantastic to invest in. He also revealed that an internal survey showed that people in Norgas have claimed that they are 15% more efficient due to AI.
Regarding ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), Tangen states that despite a potential backlash in the US, Norway remains committed to these principles. He says that because there is a high proportion of gas supply in Europe is very important and continues to be a big part of energy supply.
Tangen grew up in southern Norway and went to Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia. After Wharton, he worked for several firms before starting his own hedge fund, which grew to nearly $20 billion in assets.
When asked how he went from running a successful hedge fund to running the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, Tangen explained that he had enough money to "buy food and shoes," and he wanted to do something more meaningful. He emphasized that happiness comes from learning, not accumulating wealth.
Upon leaving the hedge fund he gave his ownership stake to a charitable foundation. Because of his success, he was inducted into the giving pledge.
Tangen is currently up for reappointment. His compensation, while "well paid," is significantly less than what he earned in the private sector. He is humble and believes that if someone is better for the job, he or she should get the job.
When asked for advice to be a good investment manager, he says "learn, learn, learn" and to have a combination of being stubborn and agile, stick with your guns but be able to change your mind. He stresses the importance of humility over arrogance.
He discusses the investment concerns and what a normal person should be concerned about. He mentioned inflation and the potential for higher interest rates due to government debt levels. He also highlights geopolitical risks, particularly concerning Taiwan and the production of AI-related technologies. The biggest concerns are the unexpected and unmodeled events like nuclear meltdowns.