Working at Main with Jorn de Ruijter

When Jorn de Ruijter joined Main Capital Partners in 2016 as a Business Analyst, the firm was a relatively small Benelux-focused software investor with a team of around ten people. Today, Main manages approximately €12 billion in assets, has 7 offices across Europe and the US, and works with more than 300 institutional investors worldwide. Earlier this year, Jorn reached another milestone in that journey when he was promoted to Partner & Head of Fund Structuring & Investor Relations.

Looking back on nearly a decade at Main, Jorn sees his own development as closely intertwined with the firm’s remarkable growth.

“What stands out most is how much ground we have covered together,” he says. “Contributing to Main’s growth from the inside has been the defining experience of my career.”

Growing together

Over the years, Main has evolved from a focused software investor into an internationally recognized private equity platform. Jorn’s role has grown alongside it.

He started on the investment side but soon had the opportunity to help build something entirely new. With the trust of the firm, he played a leading role in establishing Main’s Fund Structuring and Investor Relations platform, transforming it from a supporting function into a dedicated team that today plays a central role in the organization.

“Main gave me the room to shape and build this function from the ground up,” Jorn explains. “If you take ownership and deliver, opportunities naturally follow.”

That entrepreneurial mindset remains one of the defining characteristics of working at Main.

 Building for the long term

Today, Jorn leads a team of five professionals responsible for Fund Structuring and Investor Relations, helping raise more than €10 billion from institutional investors worldwide.

Yet, despite those fundraising milestones, Jorn believes the biggest achievement isn’t measured in numbers.

“The trust behind those numbers is what matters most,” he says. “A re-up rate consistently above 100% means investors aren’t just staying—they’re increasing their commitments. Building the team and systems that support those long-term relationships is what I’m most proud of.”

That trust has also been reflected in Main’s recent milestones. Main recently closed two Multi-Asset Continuation Funds and a landmark €5.25 billion dual fundraise in less than six months.

For Jorn, these achievements show just how far Main has come.

“When I joined, we operated on a much smaller scale. Securing over €5 billion across two funds in under six months, despite a challenging market, shows how far we’ve come. More than the size, it’s the speed and conviction that stand out. Investors only commit at that pace when they trust the strategy and the team—and we’ve earned that trust by consistently delivering.”

Never standing still

One of the reasons Jorn continues to enjoy his role after almost ten years is that the work is constantly evolving.

“Fundraising conditions, investor expectations and regulation never stand still,” he explains. “Every new fund brings different challenges, and every fundraising process teaches you something new. It has genuinely never felt like the same job twice.”

That constant evolution, combined with Main’s continued ambition, creates opportunities to keep learning and growing.

A culture built on ownership

When asked what makes someone successful at Main, Jorn doesn’t hesitate.

“Ownership, intelligence and resilience,” he says. “The people who thrive here treat the outcome as if it’s their own. They stay calm under pressure, work collaboratively and genuinely want to build something together.”

Those qualities have also shaped his own career.

One aspect of Main’s culture that has had the greatest impact on his development is the trust employees receive early in their careers.

“At many firms you first need the title before you get responsibility,” Jorn explains. “At Main it works the other way around. I was trusted with significant responsibility early on, and recognition followed the results. That combination accelerated my development enormously.”

Looking ahead

As Main continues its international expansion, Jorn believes the opportunities for new talent have never been greater. Compared to when he joined in 2016, young professionals today gain exposure to multiple investment strategies, international fundraising and a global investor base, while benefiting from the entrepreneurial culture that has always defined Main.

“You still get real responsibility early,” he says. “The firm is bigger and more international today, but the ownership and entrepreneurial freedom are exactly the same.”

His advice is simple: “Take ownership and be patient. Volunteer for the difficult challenges, consistently deliver excellent work and treat every responsibility as your own. Careers here are built through trust, and trust is earned over time.”

For Jorn, that’s what has made the past decade so rewarding and what continues to make Main an exciting place to build a career.