The sale of a 28% stake in Aracruz Celulose for approximately US$1.7 billion in July 2008 marked a significant milestone in the career of a merchant marine heir.
Shipping and Expansion
Born in Christiania in 1923, Erling Lorentzen entered a family engaged in the merchant marine trade. While traveling to oversee company representatives in the early 1950s, he identified an opportunity to purchase a gas distribution firm from Esso. This acquisition prompted his permanent relocation to Brazil. He managed this company until its divestment in 1972, at which point he focused on diversifying his commercial interests, leading to the formation of the pulp and paper producer Aracruz Celulose in 1968.
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Lorentzen attended Harvard Business School to refine his professional skills. Prior to his business tenure, he participated in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 as a Fänrik. His commitment to public and institutional life was reflected in his eventual membership at the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences, alongside numerous state honors for his contributions to Norwegian society and his military service record.
Family and Public Life
In 1953, he married Princess Ragnhild in Asker, Norway. The couple raised three children: Haakon, Ingeborg, and Ragnhild Alexandra. As the brother-in-law of King Harald V, Queen Sonja, and Princess Astrid, he maintained a prominent position within the Norwegian social landscape while remaining a Brazilian citizen. He died in 2021 at the age of 98 in Oslo, leaving behind a lineage spanning multiple generations.
Awards and Recognition
Over the course of his life, Lorentzen received various commendations, including the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch in 1946 and appointment as Commander of the Order of St. Olav in 1977. Other honors included the Royal House Centennial Medal, the King Harald V's Jubilee Medal 1991–2016, the Order of the Southern Cross, and the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal.
Fast facts
- Born: 1923, Christiania, Norway
- Died: 2021, Oslo, Norway
- Education: Harvard Business School
- Key Enterprise: Aracruz Celulose
- Military Rank: Fänrik
- Spouse: Princess Ragnhild
- Citizenship: Norway and Brazil
Questions readers ask
What major company did Erling Lorentzen establish?
He founded the pulp and paper company Aracruz Celulose in 1968.
When did he sell his interest in Aracruz Celulose?
He sold his 28% stake in the company in July 2008 for approximately US$1.7 billion.
Achievements
- Commander of the Order of St. Olav — 1977
- St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch — 1946
- King Harald V's Jubilee Medal 1991–2016
- Royal House Centennial Medal
- Order of the Southern Cross
- Affiliated with Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences
- Educated at Harvard Business School
