Thomas Wilhelmsen (18 August 1911, in Tønsberg – 7 May 1978) was a Norwegian shipping magnate and the main owner of Norway's largest shipping company, Wilh. Wilhelmsen. He was also a noted philanthropist. He was a son of ship-owner Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (born 1872) and a grandson of ship-owner Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (born 1839), who started the Wilh. Wilhelmsen company in 1861. After completing his education, he joined the family company in the early 1930s, and worked in Paris, Dunkerque, London, Antwerp and Hamburg. In 1938 he became a partner in the company. He was a member of several governmental committees. He was also the honorary consul-general for

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

in Norway.''Tom Wilhelmsen 50 år'', '' VG'', 17 August 1961 In 1965 he founded the ''Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation'', which awards the Tom Wilhelmsen Opera and Ballet Prize. He was married to Valborg Cecilie Dedekam, and was the father of Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (born 1937), Finn Wilhelmsen (born 1939), Cecilie Paus (born 1943) and Helen Juell (born 1947), who became owners of the family firm, Wilh. Wilhelmsen, on their father's death in 1978. The philanthropic Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation and the Tom Wilhelmsen Opera and Ballet Prize are named in his honour. He received Norway's highest honour, the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

, in 1975.

Honours

*Commander of the

(1975)"H.M. Kongen har utnevnt skipsreder Tom Wilhelmsen til Kommandør av St. Olavs Orden," ''

Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende DN Media Group AS (previously NHST Media Group AS and before that Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende AS) is a Norwegian media conglomerate that publishes a number of newspapers and online tools. The company dates back to 1889 when it started the p ...

'', 18 February 1975 p. 2

Literature

*Leif B. Lillegaard (1986). ''Over alle hav''. Oslo: Atheneum.

References

Norwegian businesspeople in shipping

Toma Toma or TOMA may refer to: Places *Toma, Burkina Faso, a town in Nayala province *Toma Department, a department in Nayala province *Toma, Banwa, Burkina Faso, a town * Tōma, Hokkaidō, Japan, a town **Tōma Station, its railway station *Toma, a t ...

People from Tønsberg 1911 births 1978 deaths {{Norway-business-bio-stub