| Olav Thon | |
 Olav Thon in 2013 | |
| Birth: | 29 June 1923 Ål, Norway |
| Death: | 16 November 2024 Oslo, Norway |
| Age: | 101 years, 140 days |
| Country: |  NOR
|
| Centenarian | |
Olav Thon (29 June 1923-16 November 2024) was a Norwegian centenarian and real estate developer. His Olav Thon Group is Norway's largest private real estate company, with 450 properties, including 60 hotels.
Biography[]
Olav Thon was born in Ål, Norway on 29 June 1923.
His authorized biography, Olav Thon: Billionaire in a Parka, was written by Hallgrim Berg, a Norwegian politician and a folk musician.
In June 2023, he celebrated his 100th birthday and became a centenarian.
Olav Thon died in Oslo, Norway, at the age of 101 years, 140 days
Trade and Property[]
One year after his first trip to Oslo, he bought the business Volvat pels, which was his first shop at Majorstuen. After some time, Thon moved the business to the center of Oslo. While running a shop, he studied at the Business School. In 1946–1947, the import/export of all kinds of furs began.
Thon's career in property development began in Oslo in 1942. In 1950 he bought Karl Johans gate 5–7, what is today known as Arkaden. for NOK 1.7 million. In 1970, Olav Thon invested NOK 35 million in a ship and lost NOK 50 million. In the 70s there was a crisis in shipping, and Strømmen Stål went bankrupt. The industrial premises, which then had no stakeholders, were bought by Thon without him having any plans for further use.
After a while, Thon and the American ambassador launched the concept that would later become Strømmen Storsenter. In an interview with Niels Chr. Geelmuyden in 1988, Thon said that he obtained approval and building permits from the authorities after presenting them with his plans to create five hundred jobs in the old Strømmen Stål. He was then reported to the police for having started work without an establishment permit and was fined NOK 75,000.
In 2007, Thon was listed with a fortune of NOK 20.8 billion by Kapital, which made him Norway's 3rd richest person, behind John Fredriksen and Stein Erik Hagen. Thon announced at a press conference on 12 September 2008 that he was giving away smaller parts of his billion-dollar inheritance to science research, estimated to be up to NOK 50-100 million annually, which would amount to 0.2-0.4% annually of his total assets. This was to be managed by a foundation. On the same day, Hallgrim Berg's authorized biography A billionaire in an anorak was published by Kagge Forlag. Thon was video interviewed in 2023 by Asle Toje for Minerva.
References[]
- Olav Thon - 100 years old and still in shape
- Olav Thon fyller 100 år: – Uten ham hadde vi ikke vært noen ting
- Olav Thon (1923-2024) Global Supercentenarian Forum
Gallery[]
