Olav Thon (born 29 June 1923 in Ål, Hallingdal) is a Norwegian real estate developer and listed by Forbes List of Billionaires as the 368th richest person in the world in 2008.[1] His 2005 reported income was NOK 1.2B (US $179M), the highest in Norway.[2] He lives just outside Oslo, in Sollihøgda, Hole municipality. Thon is a Christian[3][4]. His company owns 360 properties in Norway and 18 abroad, including shopping malls, office buildings, retail stores and hotels. His principal holdings are the private companies Stormgård AS and Thongård AS, in addition to a major stake in the publicly traded company Olav Thon Eiendomsselskap ASA.[5]
In an article in the Norwegian newspaper DN on September 10, 2008, Olav Thon's solicitor, John Christian Elden, announced that Olav Thon intends to give away his entire fortune. Thon's portfolio which has an estimated value of approximately NOK 21 billion, will eventually be placed in a trust named after Thon, and will according to Elden, be spent on future generations.[6]