Christen Sveaas

Christen Sveaas (born 18 June 1956) is a Norwegian businessperson.

He was born in Oslo,[1] and has a degree from the University of St. Gallen in 1981. His paternal grandfather Anders Sveaas (1840–1917), who founded the company Kistefos Træsliberi in 1889. The company was sold by the family to Viul Tresliperi in 1983, against Christen Sveaas' wish. He had then started his first investment company in 1979,[2] and from 1982 to 1985 he worked in Grieg Finans before becoming independent again.[1] He made a series of successful investments (venture capital) in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[2]

In 1993 he bought back Kistefos Træsliberi.[2] He also started the investment company Kistefos,[1] where he is the sole owner and chairman of the board. He initiated the Kistefos Museum, the original and fully intact wood pulp mill from 1889, and is a board member and main sponsor. He has also sponsored the Vigeland Museum and the Vigeland sculpture installation in Frogner Park. A collector of art and wine, he has also invested in horse gallop racing and owned the restaurant Bagatelle.[2] In December 2009, head chef Eyvind Hellstrøm announced he would leave Bagatelle after 27 years, due to a long term conflict with Sveaas.[3]

The company Kistefos has investments in tanker- and dry cargo-shipping, offshore services, financial services, private equity, venture capital, technology founded investments and real estate development. Kistefos Træsliberi has interests in forestry (about 130,000 acres (530 km2)), and related industrial activities in addition to various financial investments.

Sveaas has during the years served on several boards, Orkla Group, Stolt-Nielsen, Tschudi & Eitzen, Vestenfjeldske Bykreditt, SkipsKredittforeningen and Treschow-Fritzøe. Presently Sveaas is member of Deans Council, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Furthermore he is the Chairman of the board for the Anders Sveaas Almennyttige Fond, a Norwegian charitable foundation founded in 1990. Its focus is to support organisations without relevant public funding, and young promising classical musicians through scholarships and instrument loans.

Politically, he has supported the Progress Party think tank Fremskrittspartiets Utredningsinstitutt in 1988,[4] the Liberal Party ahead of the Norwegian parliamentary election, 2001,[5] and the Conservative Party ahead of the Norwegian local elections, 2007, and Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009.[6][7]

Personal life

Sveaas has been openly gay since the early 2000s, when he invested in the gay magazine Blikk and pre-emptively "outed" himself during a public dispute with other businesspeople.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Henriksen, Petter, ed. (2007). "Christen Sveaas". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Stavrum, Gunnar. "Christen Sveaas". In Helle, Knut. Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  3. ↑ Berglihn, Harald; Henningsson, Maria (5 December 2009). "Hellstrøm ferdig på Bagatelle etter krangel". Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  4. ↑ Halvorsen, Irene (18 November 2006). "Bladde opp for Frp". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  5. ↑ "Forhandlinger i Oslo bystyres møte onsdag 28. november 2001 kl. 15.00" (in Norwegian). Oslo Municipality. 28 November 2001. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  6. ↑ Ertzaas, Pål K.; Hegvik, Gunn Kari (29 April 2008). "Han er ansatt som Høyres «torpedo»". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  7. ↑ "Avsluttet leserbrev med sjekk på 1.000.000,-". Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). 1 August 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  8. ↑ Ramm, Benedicte (27 June 2014). "Fossens kall". Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). Retrieved 3 October 2015.
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