Johan H. Andresen Jr.
Johan Henrik Andresen | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 25, 1961 Oslo, Norway |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Ownership and leadership of Ferd |
| Spouse | Kristin Gamlemshaug |
| Children | 2 (Katharina and Alexandra) |
Johan Henrik Andresen (born 25 July 1961) is a prominent Norwegian entrepreneur and investor. Since 1998, he has held ownership of Ferd, recognized as one of Norway's largest privately owned enterprises. He served as CEO from 1998 until 2012 and has occupied the position of chairman since then. According to Kapital’s ranking of Norway’s 400 wealthiest individuals, Andresen is placed fifth, with a net worth surpassing USD 3.27 billion. He used the suffix 'Jr.' during his father's lifetime but ceased doing so following his father’s passing in 2011.
Early life
Andresen was born in Oslo to industrialist Johan Henrik Andresen (1930–2011) and Swedish noblewoman Marianne Ebba Therese Bielke. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Policy Studies from Dartmouth College in 1988 and later earned an MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management in 1993.
Career
Between 1989 and 1991, Andresen held the role of Product Manager at International Paper Co. in the United States. In 1993, he became a partner within the Norwegian industrial group Tiedemanns-gruppen. He took over as sole proprietor and CEO from his father in 1998, marking the fifth generation leading the family business since its acquisition of J.L. Tiedemanns Tobaksfabrik in 1849. That same year, Tiedemanns Tobaksfabrik’s tobacco operations merged with the Scandinavian Tobacco Company, and by 2005 Andresen divested all his shares for NOK 3.3 billion.
The group rebranded to Ferd in 2001. Currently, Ferd's portfolio includes companies such as Elopak, a 50% stake in Aibel, TeleComputing, Interwell, and Swix Sport, alongside considerable holdings in stocks, hedge funds, private equity, and real estate assets. Ferd’s net asset value expanded from NOK 7.4 billion in 2003 to NOK 24.3 billion by the close of 2013.
In 2006, Andresen pursued a NOK 11 billion offer to acquire a controlling interest in Swiss packaging firm and former weapons manufacturer SIG, intending to merge it with Ferd-owned Elopak to establish the world’s second-largest packaging company. However, after competitive bidding escalated, Ferd withdrew from the deal in March 2007—an acquisition that would have ranked among Norway’s largest corporate transactions.
Andresen serves as chairman of the Council on Ethics for the Government Pension Fund Global. He also chairs Ferd’s board and holds board memberships at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB) in Sweden, Norwegian Microfinance Initiative (NMI), as well as Junior Achievement – Young Enterprise organizations across Europe and Norway.
Philanthropy
In 2006, Andresen spearheaded a public-private partnership that resulted in launching NMI – Norwegian Microfinance Initiative in 2008, an institution dedicated to fostering development in impoverished regions through microfinance. In 2009, he established Ferd Social Entrepreneurs, a non-profit division of Ferd focused on supporting entities and projects that emphasize social impact over financial gain.
Personal life
He is the grandson of Johan H. Andresen and great-grandson of Johan Henrik Andresen. Married to Kristin Gamlemshaug, they have two daughters: Katharina and Alexandra. In 2007, he transferred the majority of shares in Ferd Holding—valued at about NOK 12 billion—to his daughters.