Petter Stordalen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petter Stordalen
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Stordalen in 2018
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Petter Anker Stordalen Bjorvand
29 November 1962 Porsgrunn, Norway
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse(s) | Gunhild Stordalen (married 2010–2019) |
| Partner(s) | Märta Elander Wistén (2020–) |
| Children | 3 |
Petter Anker Stordalen Bjorvand (born 29 November 1962) is a famous Norwegian businessman. He owns a large group of companies called Strawberry Group. This group includes hotels, shopping centers, and other businesses. As of 2025, his wealth is estimated to be around US$1.6 billion.
Through his company, Strawberry Hospitality Group, he owns Strawberry (which used to be called Nordic Choice Hotels). This hotel chain has over 230 hotels and employs about 17,000 people.
Petter Stordalen also cares a lot about the environment. With his former wife, Gunhild Stordalen, he started the Stordalen Foundation in 2011. They have given a lot of money to science projects and charities that work to fight climate change. Since 2019, he has also been a co-owner of SunClass Airlines.
Contents
Early Life and First Job
Petter Anker Stordalen Bjorvand was born in Porsgrunn, Norway, on 29 November 1962. His parents were Kari and Knut Anker Stordalen. When he was just 12 years old, Petter started selling strawberries at the local market. In 1974, a local newspaper even called him Norway's best strawberry seller! After finishing high school, he studied business and later managed his father's store for a short time.
Building a Business Empire
Starting with Shopping Centers
When Petter was 24, he took charge of City Syd, which was Norway's biggest shopping center at the time. He made it very successful. After this, he became a property director for another company. He helped change the market area in downtown Trondheim and relaunched the Liertoppen shopping center near Oslo.
Later, at 29, Petter bought the historic department store Steen & Strøm. This company quickly grew to become the largest owner of commercial buildings in Norway. He worked there until 1996.
Growing a Hotel Chain
After leaving Steen & Strøm, Petter Stordalen decided to focus on hotels. In October 1996, he bought a large part of Choice Hotels. He also bought other hotel companies, like Home in Sweden and InterNor in Norway. He made Choice Hotels Scandinavia a public company, meaning people could buy shares in it.
For three years, Choice Hotels Scandinavia bought a new hotel almost every other week! They also hired 50 new people every 10 days. By 1999, Petter Stordalen became a billionaire in Norwegian money. He continued to buy more hotels, including the Nordisk Hotel Group in Denmark. In 2012, he opened a huge hotel in Gothenburg, Sweden, called Clarion Post Hotel. The opening was a big event with fireworks and Petter playing drums while rising from the hotel in a giant disco ball! In 2022, he opened the Somerro Hotel in Oslo, which has a rooftop pool.
Petter Stordalen's Investments
Petter Stordalen's main company is called Strawberry Group. It includes several different businesses:
- Strawberry Hospitality Group: This part owns Strawberry (formerly Nordic Choice Hotels). It is one of the biggest hotel chains in Scandinavia, with 190 hotels in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic countries.
- Strawberry Advisory: This company invests in other businesses.
- Strawberry Properties: This part owns and develops buildings.
- Strawberry Art & Design: This is where Stordalen keeps his art collection.
He also has other companies like Strawberry Fields, which invests in real estate, and Strawberry Future, which supports projects related to sustainability.
His Art Collection
As Petter Stordalen became more successful, he started collecting art, especially modern art. He has spent millions of dollars on art for his hotels, like the Clarion Hotel Post in Gothenburg. He also has a large private collection.
In 2013, he opened a new hotel in Oslo called The Thief. Every one of its 119 rooms has original artwork. The hotel even works with the nearby Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art to borrow famous pieces. Petter Stordalen owns some art by famous artists like Julian Opie and Andy Warhol. His total art collection is worth more than 50 million dollars.
Petter's Business Ideas
Petter Stordalen has a special business idea he calls The strawberry philosophy. It comes from his childhood memory of selling strawberries with his dad. One time, he complained about the quality of the berries. His dad told him, "Sell the berries you have, they are the only berries you can sell." This means you should always make the best of what you have.
Every year, Stordalen holds a big meeting for his hotel managers. It's known for being a fun party with special music and performances. He also gives a very inspiring speech to motivate his employees.
Awards and Recognition
Petter Stordalen and his companies have won many awards, including:
- Best Scandinavian Hotel Chain for Nordic Choice (2007 and 2008)
- Best Work Place for Nordic Choice (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011)
- European Hotel Design Award (2008)
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2010)
- Brightest Business Mind in Northern Europe (2016)
- Leader of the Year (2017)
Caring for the Environment
Petter Stordalen is very passionate about protecting the environment. He has supported environmental groups and even protested against pollution. In 2002, he chained himself to a bridge at a nuclear plant in England to protest against harmful waste being released into the sea. In 2007, he protested against toxic mud being dumped in the Oslofjord.
With his former wife, Gunhild Stordalen, he started the Stordalen Foundation. This foundation supports groups like the European Climate Foundation. In 2011, they even invited Arnold Schwarzenegger to speak at an environmental conference. In 2012, they went on an expedition to the Antarctic with Al Gore to learn more about climate change.
In 2011, they also created GreeNudge. This foundation helps leaders get information to make good decisions about climate policies. All of Stordalen's hotels are certified to be environmentally friendly.
Petter's Family Life
Petter Stordalen lives in Oslo, Norway. He has three children from his first marriage: a daughter named Emilie and two sons named Henrik and Jakob.
In 2010, he married doctor and former model Gunhild Stordalen. Their wedding in Marrakech was very grand and expensive, with many famous guests. An Irish musician, Bob Geldof, led the ceremony. The Norwegian newspapers often called them "the Bill and Melinda Gates of Norway" because they combined business success with helping others. In 2019, they announced that they had separated but would remain good friends and continue to work together on projects.
After a sad event in Norway in 2011, Petter Stordalen donated a lot of money to help rebuild a summer camp for young people.
