Halvor Stenstadvold
Encyclopedia
Halvor Stenstadvold is a Norwegian businessperson and politician for the Conservative Party
. A political scientist by education, he spent most of his career in the Federation of Norwegian Industries
and Orkla Group
. He has also been the chair of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, the Research Council of Norway and the Oslo Stock Exchange
. As a politician he has been acting mayor of Bærum
municipality as well as State Secretary
.
as a son of painter Håkon Stenstadvold
(1912–1977) and his wife Ingeborg Anvik. He was a nephew of Karl Stenstadvold. He grew up in Bærum
, and lives at Stabekk
. He married Siri Moursund (born 1945) in December 1971.
his secondary education in 1962, and studied at the University of Oslo
and Columbia University
. He graduated with the mag.art. degree (PhD equivalent) in political science
in 1971 with a paper Det norske Studentersamfund. En debattanalytisk studie, on the Norwegian Students' Society. He had chaired the Norwegian Students' Society himself in the spring of 1969. In 1973 he released An Approach to Political Interlocutions together with Knut Midgaard and Arild Underdal. Many years later he headed the committee that produced the Norwegian Official Report
26 of 1991. He has also been editor-in-chief of the conservative periodical Minerva
.
Stenstadvold soon became involved in politics, and followed in his father's footsteps as a member of the Conservative Party
. He was elected to serve in Bærum municipal council in 1975, served as deputy mayor from 1975 to 1978, and acting mayor from 1978 to 1979. He replaced Willy Greiner due to the latter's illness, and was replaced by Gunnar Gravdahl after the 1979 elections. In 1981, when the first cabinet Willoch
assumed office, Stenstadvold was appointed State Secretary
in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Administration. He retreated in 1984 to concentrate on his business career.
After a short period as a research assistant
at the University of Oslo, Stenstadvold had been hired as information director of the Federation of Norwegian Industries
(a predecessor of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise
) in 1972. In 1979 he was hired as director of strategy and communication in Kreditkassen, and remained here until 1987, except for the time as State Secretary. In 1988 he was hired as director of the chemistry division in Orkla Group
. He was then CEO from 1991 to 2006. From 2001 he was also responsible for Orkla Media, Orkla's branch for media ownership which was replaced by Edda Media
in 2006. In the media field Stenstadvold also served as a member of the Broadcasting Council, chair of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1986 to 1991 and TVNorge
from 1991 to 1994. He notably advocated abolishing the Norwegian press support
, which in Stenstadvold's opinion "hinders product development".
Stenstadvold has also been the chair of the Research Council of Norway from 1994 to 2000, board member of Storebrand
from 2002 and Statkraft
from 2003. At the Oslo Stock Exchange
he became a board member in 2005 and chair in 2006, but he withdrew in 2007 following a technical misunderstanding. He was first admonished by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway
for belatedly reporting a stock sale in Orkla Group, but after he withdrew it surfaced that the sale had been reported in the right time, automatically. This episode was considered to be among the "biggest mistakes of 2007" by online newspaper E24 Næringsliv
. In 2008 he became chair of the Henie-Onstad Art Centre
.
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
. A political scientist by education, he spent most of his career in the Federation of Norwegian Industries
Federation of Norwegian Industries (1919–1989)
The Federation of Norwegian Industries was an employers' organisation in Norway. It existed between 1919 and 1989, and was one of the main organisations in the field. In 1989 it became a part of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise through a merger....
and Orkla Group
Orkla Group
Orkla Group is a Norwegian industrial conglomerate operating in the Nordic region, Eastern Europe, Asia and the US. The company's main divisions are branded consumer goods, aluminium solutions, materials, associates and financial investments.-Operations:...
. He has also been the chair of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, the Research Council of Norway and the Oslo Stock Exchange
Oslo Stock Exchange
The Oslo Stock Exchange serves as the main market for trading in the shares of Norwegian companies. It opens at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm local time...
. As a politician he has been acting mayor of Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
municipality as well as State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
.
Personal life
He was born in SarpsborgSarpsborg
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad...
as a son of painter Håkon Stenstadvold
Håkon Stenstadvold
Håkon Stenstadvold was a Norwegian painter, illustrator, journalist, art critic and politician for the Conservative Party.-Personal life:...
(1912–1977) and his wife Ingeborg Anvik. He was a nephew of Karl Stenstadvold. He grew up in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, and lives at Stabekk
Stabekk
Stabekk is a suburban centre in the municipality of Bærum, Norway. Mainly a residential area and have most of the conservative population in Norway the current population is 6,261....
. He married Siri Moursund (born 1945) in December 1971.
Career
Stenstadvold finishedExamen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
his secondary education in 1962, and studied at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He graduated with the mag.art. degree (PhD equivalent) in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 1971 with a paper Det norske Studentersamfund. En debattanalytisk studie, on the Norwegian Students' Society. He had chaired the Norwegian Students' Society himself in the spring of 1969. In 1973 he released An Approach to Political Interlocutions together with Knut Midgaard and Arild Underdal. Many years later he headed the committee that produced the Norwegian Official Report
Norwegian Official Report
A Norwegian Official Report is a report published by a panel or committee appointed by the Norwegian government. The Norwegian Parliament may request the government to establish such a committee....
26 of 1991. He has also been editor-in-chief of the conservative periodical Minerva
Minerva (Norwegian periodical)
Minerva is a Norwegian liberal conservative periodical that started publishing in 1924. It was started by members of the Conservative Students' association in Oslo. In , Nils August Andresen is executive editor, Torbjørn Røe Isaksen editor on society, Kristian Meisingset on culture and Fredrik...
.
Stenstadvold soon became involved in politics, and followed in his father's footsteps as a member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
. He was elected to serve in Bærum municipal council in 1975, served as deputy mayor from 1975 to 1978, and acting mayor from 1978 to 1979. He replaced Willy Greiner due to the latter's illness, and was replaced by Gunnar Gravdahl after the 1979 elections. In 1981, when the first cabinet Willoch
First cabinet Willoch
Willoch's First Cabinet was a minority, Conservative Government of Norway. It succeeded the Labour First cabinet Brundtland, after the Conservative victory in the 1981 Storting election and sat between October 14, 1981 - June 7, 1983. It was replaced by the Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat...
assumed office, Stenstadvold was appointed State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Administration. He retreated in 1984 to concentrate on his business career.
After a short period as a research assistant
Research assistant
A research assistant is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university or a research institute, for the purpose of assisting in academic research...
at the University of Oslo, Stenstadvold had been hired as information director of the Federation of Norwegian Industries
Federation of Norwegian Industries (1919–1989)
The Federation of Norwegian Industries was an employers' organisation in Norway. It existed between 1919 and 1989, and was one of the main organisations in the field. In 1989 it became a part of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise through a merger....
(a predecessor of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise
Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise
The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise is an employers' organisation in Norway with more than 16,000 members.It was founded in 1989 as a merger of the Federation of Norwegian Industries, the Norwegian Employers' Confederation and the Federation of Norwegian Craftsmen..The president is Kristin...
) in 1972. In 1979 he was hired as director of strategy and communication in Kreditkassen, and remained here until 1987, except for the time as State Secretary. In 1988 he was hired as director of the chemistry division in Orkla Group
Orkla Group
Orkla Group is a Norwegian industrial conglomerate operating in the Nordic region, Eastern Europe, Asia and the US. The company's main divisions are branded consumer goods, aluminium solutions, materials, associates and financial investments.-Operations:...
. He was then CEO from 1991 to 2006. From 2001 he was also responsible for Orkla Media, Orkla's branch for media ownership which was replaced by Edda Media
Edda Media
Edda Media is a Norwegian media group that owns a number of Norwegian newspapers, television channels, radio channels and websites. The company is part of the Mecom Group and is the remaining domestic part of Orkla Media. In 2006 the newspapers in the Edda Group had 1,250,000 daily readers, a...
in 2006. In the media field Stenstadvold also served as a member of the Broadcasting Council, chair of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1986 to 1991 and TVNorge
TVNorge
TVNorge is a Norwegian television channel.TVNorge went on the air December 5, 1988 and was the first advertising-supported Norwegian channel. The channel was started with 50 000 NOK...
from 1991 to 1994. He notably advocated abolishing the Norwegian press support
Press support
Press support is a Norwegian state subsidy available for newspapers. The subsidy is twofold; the first part is a direct subsidy of the second- largest, by circulation, newspapers in each city...
, which in Stenstadvold's opinion "hinders product development".
Stenstadvold has also been the chair of the Research Council of Norway from 1994 to 2000, board member of Storebrand
Storebrand
Storebrand is a financial services company in Norway. By volume, the company's main activities are related to life insurance and pension savings. However, the company also has major divisions working on investments, banking and, since 2006, P&C insurance products...
from 2002 and Statkraft
Statkraft
Statkraft is a Norwegian state owned electricity company. With a total energy production of 44.9 TWh in 2007, the Statkraft Group is the third largest energy producer in the Nordic region, as well as the largest energy producer based on renewable energy sources in Europe,consisting of 40% of the...
from 2003. At the Oslo Stock Exchange
Oslo Stock Exchange
The Oslo Stock Exchange serves as the main market for trading in the shares of Norwegian companies. It opens at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm local time...
he became a board member in 2005 and chair in 2006, but he withdrew in 2007 following a technical misunderstanding. He was first admonished by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway
Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway
The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway is a Norwegian government agency responsible for supervision of financial companies within Norway based on law and regulations from Storting, the Norwegian Ministry of Finance and international accounting standards...
for belatedly reporting a stock sale in Orkla Group, but after he withdrew it surfaced that the sale had been reported in the right time, automatically. This episode was considered to be among the "biggest mistakes of 2007" by online newspaper E24 Næringsliv
E24 Næringsliv
E24 Næringsliv, formerly N24, is a Norwegian, online business newspaper launched on April 18, 2006.During the first three years of operation, the newspaper was owned 60 % by Aftenposten and 40 % by Verdens Gang , both fully owned by public media company Schibsted...
. In 2008 he became chair of the Henie-Onstad Art Centre
Henie-Onstad Art Centre
The Henie-Onstad Art Centre is an art museum located at Høvikodden in Bærum municipality, Norway.The Henie-Onstad Art Centre is situated on a headland jutting into the Oslofjord, approximately 10 km south of Oslo...
.