Waldemar Stoud Platou
Waldemar Stoud Platou | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Furnes Municipality, Hedmark, Norway |
| Died | July 13, 1930 (aged 61) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, brewery manager, CEO |
| Years active | 1884–1930 |
| Known for | CEO of Hansa Bryggeri and Frydenlunds Bryggeri; founder of Norsk Bryggeriforening |
Waldemar Stoud Platou (11 August 1868 – 13 July 1930) was a notable Norwegian entrepreneur who made a lasting impact in the brewery sector.
Personal life
Originating from Furnes Municipality, Hedmark, Platou was the offspring of banker Christian Fredrik Stoud Platou and Elise Sem. He was part of the influential Platou lineage, which included several family members engaged in commerce and politics. His marital history includes three unions: initially with Hilda Oppegaard (1891–1908), followed by the actress Dina Nordvik (1910–1921), and lastly with Alexandra Henriette Maud de Ciccolini, a French national, in 1926.
Career
After completing commercial education in Hamar, Platou began his career as a brewer’s apprentice at Christiania Bryggeri at the age of sixteen. He furthered his expertise through studies in Germany and Bohemia, successfully passing the brewer’s certification exam in Worms in 1888. Upon returning to Norway, he took on the role of brewery manager at Christiania Bryggeri in 1889. On 1 November 1891, he assumed managerial duties—and was later promoted to CEO in 1898—at the newly founded Bergen brewery Hansa Bryggeri, which he helped establish by acquiring Det Sembske Bryggeri and securing local funding. Between 1916 and 1924, Platou served as CEO of Frydenlunds Bryggeri, then continued as chairman until his passing.
He played a founding role in Norsk Bryggeriforening in 1894, an association for breweries outside Christiania, and subsequently joined the board of the merged Den norske Bryggeriforening. Additionally, Platou held a position on the supervisory council of Vinmonopolet. Beyond his brewing endeavors, he chaired Fløibanen from its opening in 1914 and led Foreningen for Reiselivet i Norge starting in 1926. His political involvement included representing the Conservative Party on municipal councils for both Bergen Municipality (1905–1907) and Aker Municipality (1918–1920).
In recognition of his contributions, Platou was honored as Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1910. A bust honoring him stands at Fløibanen’s terminus station Vetrlidsalmenning. He retired to a farm located in Stange Municipality in 1927 and passed away there in 1930.