Torvild Aakvaag
| Torvild Aakvaag link (Businessman) | |
|---|---|
| File:Torvild Aakvaag.jpg Torvild Aakvaag in the mid 1970s | |
| Born | 27 January 1927 |
| Died | 9 July 2017 |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Alma mater | University of Oslo |
Single Bilderberg Director General of Norsk Hydro | |
Torvild Aakvaag was a Norwegian businessperson. In 1984, after 28 years in Norsk Hydro, Aakvaag was appointed Odd Narud's successor as Hydro's CEO.[1] He remained powerful, but relatively anonymous to most people throughout his period as CEO and chairman of the country's largest industrial company. He attended the 1986 Bilderberg meeting.
Background
Torvild Aakvaag grew up in Bærum. After graduating in the spring of 1945, he entered the law school at the University of Oslo and took a degree in 1949.
Career
He was employed in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1951 to 1956, but left for a career in Norsk Hydro. He was promoted to head of the judicial department in 1967, and head of the petroleum department in 1970. Hydro's role in the Norwegian-controlled part of the oil and gas activities on the Norwegian continental shelf was as the"semi-private" company between the completely private Saga Petroleum and the state-owned Statoil.
Aakvaag believed that Norsk Hydro could have played a far greater role if the authorities had wanted it and facilitated the conditions: "we have applied for larger shares, but have been held down," he told Aftenposten. Hydro's role was to play second fiddle to Statoil, as the company was initially only awarded small stakes in the blocks in the North Sea. The breakthrough came with development of the Oseberg field in the 1980s, which was the first where Hydro was given operatorship.[1]
He advanced to become assisting director-general in 1977, and director-general (CEO) in 1984.[1] He succeeded Odd Narud.[2] He stayed in this position until 1991; after this he was chairman of the board from 1992 to 1997.[1] He was a board member of Orkla Borregaard, Storebrand and Nobel Industrier, and chaired Hydro Aluminium and Korn- og Foderstof Kompagniet.[3]
Awards
He was decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1989.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 https://nbl.snl.no/Torvild_Aakvaag
- ↑ http://e24.no/kommentar/e24-kommentar/article2861978.ece
- ↑ De Lange, Grete; et al. (30 January 1988). "Tøffere tider for styrene". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 5.
- ↑ http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Torvild_Aakvaag/utdypning