Mixedownership

Mixed ownership is an organizational and governance model in which ownership and control of a company are shared between the state and non-state investors, including private firms, individuals, employee stock plans, or foreign partners. The model is used primarily in state-owned enterprises and strategic sectors to combine public accountability and market discipline. It aims to mobilize private capital, management expertise, and competitive pressures while preserving public interests and strategic oversight.

In practice, mixed ownership can take various forms: private minority stakes in state-owned companies, joint ventures with private partners, reform plans that introduce private investors while maintaining state majority or controlled stakes, and employee share-ownership arrangements. Governance arrangements often include board restructuring, independent directors, performance-based incentives, and clearer separation of political objectives from commercial decisions. The approach is supported by reforms intended to improve efficiency, transparency, and financial resilience.

Critics caution that mixed ownership may complicate governance, blur accountability, and risk ceding critical sectors to private interests. Success depends on clear objectives, robust contractual protections, independent oversight, and transparent reporting. It is used in different countries with varying regimes; in some cases it is part of broader privatization or reform programs that seek to preserve strategic control while leveraging private capital to improve performance.