N RTHERN

LIGHTS
ISSUE 2//2018

IMPORTANT DATES

SEPTEMBER
27th – Fireside Chat
with Dinner ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
OCTOBER
4th – Den Norske Klub
09 17 28
Art Series: Tour of SEBs
Art Collection

NOVEMBER
25th – Den Norske Klub’s
Traditional Norwegian Nina’s Vineyard by the 17th May Celebratory Art Club Series:
Julebord Fjord Dinner Little Eyolf

www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 1
 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 05 Message from
Your Board

Den Norske Klub

07 Merchandise

NORWEGIANS
June October 09 IN FOCUS:
Nina’s Vineyard
12th Den Norske Klub 4th Den Norske Klub Art by the Fjord
–Nora Salon Series: Tour of SEBs
Art Collection
14th Norwegian Summer DISCOVERY:
Party 5th Fredagspils NØGNE Ø

27th In&Out Fireside Chat: 11th In&Out Pol Roger 12 Committed to

taste, committed
General Kiszely Dinner
to craft beer
18th Den Norske Klub
Wealth Planning &
July A little piece

6th Fredagspils
Aquavit Tasting
19th In&Out Oktoberfest
14 of Scandinavia
in the UK
27th In&Out Cigar Dinner 25th In&Out Trafalgar
17th May
Dinner
17 Celebratory Dinner
August
November
3rd Fredagspils
2nd Fredagspils 22 A Family Affair

September 23rd- Sjomannskirken

7th Fredagspils
13th In&Out Grouse Dinner
19th In&Out Gin Tasting
26th Canning Club Latin
American Dinner
27th Den Norske Klub
Fireside Chat with
Dinner
25th Julebasar
25th Den Norske
Klub’s Traditional
Norwegian Julebord
30th In&Out Scotch
Whiskey Tasting
December
7th Christmas Fredagspils
INVESTOR CORNER:
Chief Strategist:
26 Where we see
investment
opportunities
ART CLUB SERIES:
Little Eyolf at
The Print Room &
28 Bjarne Melgaard at
Thaddaeus Ropac
Galerie

Although every effort has been made

HOW TO BOOK
Please e-mail: secretary@dennorskeklub.co.uk
EVENT CANCELLATION
Please note that cancellation of events made less than
seven days before the event will not be refunded.
Front cover photo Cecilia Luras
2 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
to ensure accuracy, neither Den Norske
Klub in London nor the authors can
accept liability for errors or emissions.
Views expressed in this newsletter
are not necessarily those of Den
Norske Klub. No responsibility can be
accepted for unsolicited submissions,
transparencies or photographs. All
prices and information contained in
event advertisements are correct at the
time of going to press.
LEISURE
LEISURE PLEASURE
PLEASURE BUSINESS
BUSINESS

Norwegian
Norwegian
Private
Private
Members
Members
Club
Club
n London
in London
since
since
17th17th
of May
of May
18871887
JoinJoin
us! us!
secretary@dennorskeklub.co.uk
secretary@dennorskeklub.co.uk
dennorskeklub.co.uk
dennorskeklub.co.uk
 Planning the future for you and
your loved ones. Together.
At Private Banking within SEB, we acknowledge that everyone has a unique
set of challenges. We concentrate on developing meaningful, long-lasting
financial relationships and make the effort to really understand you and
your requirements.
Your own private banker, client assistant and experts are dedicated
to helping you achieve your goals. Together we take a holistic
approach, aiming at a well-planned future for you and your
loved ones.
To find out what we can do for your personal wealth
contact Helena Whitmore or Daniel Wikehult on
+44 (0) 20 7246 4225
privatebanking@seb.co.uk
sebgroup.lu/privatebanking

This publication is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute a financial promotion. The SEB Group offers private banking services through an international network of SEB offices.
Any contractual relationship related to the provision of regulated private banking services will be with the relevant SEB offi ce based outside the United Kingdom.
Message from YOUR BOARD
Dear Members
Welcome to the summer edition of
Northern Lights which features not only
memories from the luxuriously epic 17th
May Celebratory Dinner which was held
in the beautiful and newly refurbished
King Harald V room, but also interviews
with wine grower Nina Viddal, the
story of family owned Figgjo Porselens
Fabrikker, as well as our regular columns,
Norwegians in Focus profiling Norwegian’s
around the world, Discovery featuring
travel, culture and culinary reviews, and
Investor’s Corner with the latest investment
recommendations from a panel of Nordic
industry experts. In the latest issue, Danske
Bank International’s Chief Strategist Tine
Choi shares her worldviews with us. We
are also introducing a regular Nordic recipe
courtesy of Scandikitchen.
We thoroughly enjoyed
welcoming you all at the
Klub’s 94th Annual General
Meeting (AGM) at the In &
Out Club and announcing the
introduction of Norwegian
beers from Nøgne Ø at the
club at the latest Fredagspils – you will
soon be able to enjoy Nøgne Ø’s Asian
Pale Ale and Porter at the club. Den Norske
Klub Art Series continued its success with
a private view at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac
for an introduction to the controversial
Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard paintings,
and an evening at
 The Print Room seeing
Henrik Ibsen’s Lille Eyolf performed by
Nationalteateret i Oslo in Norwegian and
featuring renowned Norwegian actors
Kåre Conradi and Pia Tjelta. Following the
outstanding performance, Den Norske Klub
members had the opportunity to meet with
the amazing Norwegian actor Kåre Conradi
for a post-theatre chat. A truly memorable
moment.
Annual General Meeting
At Den Norske Klub’s 94th AGM at the
In & Out Club on June 1st, current Chair
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Cecilia Luras was re-elected for another
year as Chair, and the AGM decided to
extend the current board term for directors
to 3 years (from 2 years previously). New
and continuing board members include;
Christian Hvamstad, Irene Garland, Pauline
Houpillart, Hege Nordahl, Constanse Bowes-
Lyon, Maria Efimova, Christopher Eckhoff,
and Ken Skaarbrevik. Former Board
Members Patrick Jonassen and Patrick Moe,
have very kindly consented to continue to
act as special IT consultant and Company
Secretary, respectively for Den Norske Klub.
The Chair presented an update on the
new initiatives the board have put in place
during the past year to make the running of
the club both more cost and time efficient,
the success of the club’s gentleman’s range
of ties and cufflinks, and the new events
launched during 2017, including Den Norske
Klub Art Series. The klub’s ties and cufflinks
are available to purchase from the Babmaes
reception at your leisure.
During May we asked you how you felt
about the club and how we could make
the club a more attractive place for
Norwegian’s living in and visiting London.
We had overwhelming feedback with more
than 230 respondents. Your clear message
was that whilst you cherish the traditional
and more formal events including the 17th
May Celebratory Dinner and the klub’s
Juleboard, you really love Fredagspilsen
and the informal networking opportunities
it gives more than anything else. You also
appreciate the new initiatives and content
events, including the Art Series and Wealth
Management evenings, and want more;
increased focus on events for younger
members as well as more integration with
the In&Out.
The Board’s main focus in the coming
year will be to continue to seek a more
permanent and sustainable existence
within the In&Out, investigate our status
Continued overleaf
5
 as a not-for-profit organization, follow up
on the suggestions from the member’s New Members
survey, as well as continue to increase the • Julie Michelet
membership base. As of May 2018, Den
• Tor Langoy
Norske Klub had 144 members, +5% vs.
2017 (at 138 members). Last but not least, • Kristian Lokka
for those of you visiting or hosting friends • Tor Flonaes
and family in London during the summer • Mats Boesen
don’t miss out on the excellent room rates • Jakob Berthelsen
at the club. • Mikkel Skajem
As we enter the month of June, we wish
all our members a lovely summer and look
forward to seeing those of you staying in
London through the summer and at the Your Board
next Fredagspils (July 6th). And for those
Cecilia Luras
of you taking the summer off, we look Chair and Chief Editor
forward to seeing you back at the club
in September for yet another Fredagspils Hege Nordahl
(September 7th), more Art Series events, Board Member
a Fireside Chat with Dinner in September, Constanse Bowes-Lyon
and all the other exciting events your Board Member and Editor
new board are planning for the coming
Christian Hvamstad
months.
Board Member and Treasurer
Warm regards, Irene Garland
Chair Cecilia Luras Board Member
on behalf of the DNK Board.
Pauline Houpillart
P.S. Don’t miss the chance to become Board Member
a full Den Norske Klub member – you Ken Skaarbrevik
can find your application form on Board Member
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk/membership.
Maria Efimova
Board Member
Christopher Eckhoff
Board Member
Patrick Jonassen
IT Counsel
Patrick Moe
Legal Counsel and Company Secretary

Den Norske Klub Corporate Patron

Nordea Private Banking International Luxembourg.

6 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
 DEN NORSKE KLUB
MERCHANDISE
Den Norske Klub TIE
We are delighted
to announce
the generation
of a new Den
Norske Klub
tie, which has
been approved
by the Board
and launched
at the recent
17th May dinner.
The members of DNK can now wear their
very own tie. Loosely designed around the
colours of the Flag of Norway, the tie also
features the DNK emblem and is ideal for
all occasions. It is made in the UK from pure
silk and the special label on the reverse
sports the date of the Klub’s foundation,
with images of those cornerstones of
Norwegian culture: a kransekake and a
bottle of aquavit!

Den Norske Klub CUFFLINKS

We are also delighted to announce
that we have a new, limited, batch
of DNK cufflinks in stock. It’s been a
number of years since they’ve been
available and a number of members
have asked
whether they
were scheduled
to make a
return. In time
for DNK’s 130
year anniversary,
they’re back!

Den Norske Klub ties, cufflinks and tie-pins can now

be bought directly from the Babmaes reception.

www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 7

Leif J. Olestad
The Rauma Railway
– The most beautiful train journey
Åndalsnes - Dombås
A trip on the Rauma Railway is a unique
opportunity to experience one of the most
spectacular scenic areas in Norway.
Once aboard the train, just sit back and gaze
out of the train’s large windows and enjoy
the journey through contrasting, wild and
magnificent scenery.
From 24th May to 24th August the train has
an electronic guiding system that provides
Foto: Ole Walter Jacobsen
information on the scenic sights along the
route. Past famous attractions such
as Trollveggen and Kylling brigde, the
train will run at reduced speed.
For more information and to book
tickets, see nsb.no/raumarailway,
call +47 815 00 888 or contact a
specialist on Scandinavia.
Europe’s most
spectacular
train journeys
Deep in the fjord country of Sunnmøre,
in north western Norway, lies the
village of Viddal. With a population of
only nine residents, Viddal is taking part
in an extraordinary experiment. On one
of its smaller surrounding farms, there
are highly unusual crops growing. The
farm’s owner, Nina Viddal, moved from
life in the city to this remote part of
Norway after inheriting the land from
her grandparents and despite the odds,
has started what could become the
world’s most northern vineyard.

NORWEGIANS IN FOCUS Nina

NINA’S VINEYARD
BY THE FJORD
Text and photos by Ken Skaarbrevik

P
roduction of wine is often found
in warmer locations like the Loire
and Rhone valleys, the slopes of
Champagne and other vineyards in warmer
climates. But here, sixty-two degrees north
of the equator in Norway, locally produced
wine could be on offer this year with a
special twist..
Nina Viddal (47) had a dream she felt
could be achieved on the land where she
spent every summer as a young girl. Viddal
is positioned by the Hjørundfjord and
surrounded by high mountain peaks that
are covered with snow most of the year.
The idea of growing grapes here seems
preposterous, however the area has some
peculiar advantages. At the bottom of the
valley where Nina’s farm lies there is an
unusual micro climate. Even though this
region is in the far north of Europe, the
valley by the Hjørundfjord experiences the
Continued overleaf
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 9

Nina puts in
first vine plant
mildest winter in Norway, and is sheltered
from the harsh weather on the coast by
being far inland. However, in the summer
there is eighteen hours of sunshine baking
down into this natural bowl in the earth.
With plenty of water in addition, these
deep valleys of western Norway are places
where all kinds of fruit grow very well. The
neighbouring valley of Valldal is famous
for its very large and juicy strawberries.
And in Viddal, Nina’s grandfather grew
many types of fruit including plums, apples,
pears, berries and even apricots as an
experiment. Nina, who has a background in
the restaurant trade, felt that this unusual
micro climate could possibly also be warm
and sunny enough to grow grapes. It was
her dream, but could it actually work?
As global warming has taken hold, some
areas of the world are now able to grow
grapes despite previously being too cold
to do so. One example is southern England,
where the number of vineyards producing
excellent local wine has grown in the last
decades into a large wine industry. There
are now vineyards in other northern parts
10
Planting
vine plants
of Europe, but could it really be possible in
Norway?
Even with the warmer conditions and the
Gulf stream keeping the Norwegian coast
heated and ice free during the winters,
Nina’s dream would have been just that if it
hadn’t been for several additional reasons.
The development of more hardy vine plants
has been a factor, as has the increased
availability of knowledge regarding wine
production. But more importantly for Nina,
she has the help of locals in her own village
and others dotted around the fjord who
are ready to support her in this venture.
This is known as ’Dugnad’ – a Norwegian
tradition where people help each other
out with personal and communal projects.
And with the support for her project by the
Norwegian Innovation fund, Nina got the
seed finance to start up her business.
On a chilly day in May 2016, the first six
hundred and fifty vine plants were delivered.
Together with the trusted local volunteers
Nina was ready to plant. With her was
known English wine expert and wine writer,
Stephen Skelton, who had flown in to
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk

be part of the occasion to help out. Nina
had managed to get Skelton interested
in the project and to support her as her
consultant. The planting was a success
and from this her Vineyard, named Haula
Vineyard, started up.
After two years Nina has learnt the hard
lessons of the problems nature can throw
at you. A very wet summer of 2017 caused
many problems and the constant need for
vigilance keeping deer away from her plants
was another.
By the start of this 2018 season, Nina
has gained much more knowledge and
experience as a vineyard owner. In 2016
she took part in the Cool Climate Wine
Symposium held in Brighton. Here she could
share information and experience with
other vineyard owners also based in cooler
parts of the world. In 2017 she had the
opportunity to develop her business skills
at entrepreneur lectures held in Norway by
Bill Aulet of MiT. And in the spring of this
year Nina had the opportunity to visit world
famous Loire vineyards to see and learn
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Bill Aulet with Nina
Cool Climate Symposium
how grapes are grown there and how they
are turned to world famous wine.
During this year’s season her vineyard has
been expanded with more being planted
and a small wine production unit is being
built, again with help from the Norwegian
Innovation Fund. Nina has also received
a licence to serve food and drink on her
farm to visitors and tourists during the
summer season. A local ferry has been set
up this year to service the communities in
Hjørundfjorden from the town of Alesund.
In addition the vineyard can also attracting
tourists and locals from the popular tourist
destination of Geiranger in the local area.
Dependent on the decent spring and
summer weather, which so far has been
very good, it is possible visitors this summer
might get the chance to taste Nina’s first
season of wine – likely to be the most
northern wine produced in the world.
For more information about
travel to this part of Norway visit:
https://www.visitalesund.com/
top-attractions/hjorundfjord
11
 D I S COV E RY

NØGNE Ø
Committed to taste,
committed to craft beer
Starting up in 2002 when craft beer
was unknown to most Norwegians,
the Nøgne Ø founders, who started
their beer production in a small
garage in Grimstad, had a rough
start. Relying mainly on exports,
and initially exporting almost 80% of
their production, Nøgne Ø’s founders
continued their focus on craft ale,
brewing, soon to be award-winning
beers, in their small garage in Grimstad.
Within a few years their brews gained a
reputation for excellence, both in their
home market, and export markeds like
the US, UK, Sweden and Denmark.

T
he name Nøgne Ø means “naked
island”, a poetic term used by Henrik
Ibsen to describe the countless stark,
barren outcroppings that are visible in the
rough seas off Norway’s southern coast.
The name also gives a symbolic picture of
what the two Norwegian home brewers
Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun did when they
decided to found their own brewery early

12 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
2002. Their vision was to bring diversity and
innovation into commercial brewing of real
ale, as well as, share their passion for good
beer. The result – Nøgne Ø.
Nøgne Ø has grown from a production of
300 hl in 2003 to an estimated 12000 hl
production in 2018. The core range consists
of more than 20 different styles of beer
and another 20 brews are made each year
to experiment with new ingredients and
flavours. So far this year Nøgne Ø has
brewed beers using chili peppers, chug
mushrooms, lime, raisins and a number of
other flavors. It stands to reason that the
text on the brewers T-shirt says «There are
no rules!»
The beers have received awards from all
over the world, and earlier this year Nøgne
Ø was listed on Ratebeer.com’s Top 100
breweries in the World list for the 11th time.
Nøgne Ø is now Norway’s leading and
largest supplier of craft beer and no longer
export the majority of their production.
Their never-ending search for new flavours
and ingredients constantly results in new
seasonal and experimental brews.
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
On November 25th 2013 Hansa Borg
Bryggerier acquired a majority share in
Nøgne Ø. This paved the way for Nøgne Ø
in better reaching out to its loyal customers
both in Norway and in its export markets.
Hansa Borg Bryggerier is a family owned
group of regional breweries combining
Hansa, Borg and Christianssand Bryggeri in
Norway. Its owners have over 4 generations
showed that they are committed to stability
and supporting local brand and employment.
For this reason, Nøgne Ø will continue to be
based in Grimstad, Norway, and will keep up
the hard work on maintaining its portfolio of
quality beers, as well as developing new and
experimental products.
We are pleased to announce that you
can now enjoy Nøgne Ø’s Asian Pale Ale
and Porter beers at the club!
13
 ScandiKitchen opened its doors
back in 2007 when Jonas and
Bronte were suffering serious

A little piece kaviar and salty liquorice

withdrawal symptoms; ‘no one
should ever have to through that’,
of Scandinavia they thought. ScandiKitchen
started as a café serving breakfast,

in the UK
good coffee and a smorgasbord
of lunch items; from smoked
salmon and egg to roastbeef and

JOIN
remoulade and everything in
between – from everyday classics
to treats for the big occasions

US THIS
SUMMER

N
ordic food has been increasingly
popular over the past decade –
we, of course, are not surprised
– and like to remind people that there’s
so much more to Nordic food than
pickled herring and meatballs. There
are several distinctly Nordic cheeses,
for example – Norway’s brown cheese
is amongst the more famous ones
– and one that is gaining popularity
faster than you can say waffle iron.
Brown cheese topped with a dollop of
jam or perhaps a little honey is a real
Norwegian treat!
Brown cheese aside, several dishes
and ingredients link all the countries
of Scandinavia together, bringing
a uniquely Nordic cuisine together.
Stretching from the midnight sun of

14 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
northern Norway to the flat, fertile fields
of Denmark, Scandinavian food culture is
vast and varied, but at the core there are
more similarities than differences, formed by
thousands of years of shared culture (and
a bit of good old Viking pillaging) which
has turned into our shared Scandinavian
heritage.
In essence, Scandinavian food is simple.
We call it husmannskost – farmer’s fare.
It’s natural and honest, made with the
staple produce found on the land. For
ScandiKitchen, trying to turn traditional
dishes into fancy and fussy affairs isn’t
true to who we are. When you work with
the very best produce, there’s no need to
overcomplicate it. Just pick (or pickle),
serve and eat. Our topless sandwiches
are offered alongside seasonal, hearty
salads, homemade baked goods and
nostalgic favourites like hotdogs – because
sometimes, a proper pølse is all you need.
In addition to our breakfast, lunch and
coffee & cake offering, we also stock
hundreds Norwegian food and drink items
– from brown cheese and Norvegia to
crispbreads, coffees, jams and chocolates
(yes, including Kvikk Lunsj for your hikes!).
Pop by or visit our online shop - we ship
across the UK and EU, aiming to cure any
degree of homesickness.
Cafe & Shop:
61 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7PP
Online shop: www.scandikitchen.co.uk/dnk
Twitter & Facebook: @scandikitchen
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Easy New Potato & Dill Salad
This makes a nice fresh bowl of potato
salad, perfect for a summer buffet. The
dressing is light and fresh, and if you
want to make the salad even lighter, just
add less of the dressing. It’s truly one of
those two-minute salads that takes some
basic new potatoes to a different level.
INGREDIENTS
1 kg/2 1⁄4 lb. of cooked skin-on new
potatoes, warm or cool
MUSTARD DRESSING
75 ml/1⁄3 cup sunflower oil or other
neutral oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon caster/ granulated sugar
1 shallot, very finely chopped
1 bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4 as a side
You can use slightly warm potatoes or
cooled ones straight out of the fridge for
this dish, but only dress them just before
serving for best results. To make the
dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard
and sugar until the sugar has dissolved,
then fold in the chopped shallot and dill.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss the dressing with the potatoes and
ensure they are evenly covered.
Photo © Pete Cassidy for Ryland Peters Small.
Recipe from ‘ScandiKitchen Summer’, published
by Ryland Peters Small.
15
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16 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Den Norske Klub’s annual 17th May
Celebratory Dinner was celebrated
at the Klub in its usual style with a
black-tie and bunad dinner in the
splendour of the stunningly refurbished
King Harald V room. The evening
started with a series of beautiful
Norwegian and International piano
works performed by world-renowned
pianist Oda Voltersvik, as elegantly
dressed ladies and gentlemen arrived to
a bubbly aperitif in the glamorous Inner
Hall at the club, chatting and catching
up with new and old friends.

17th May Celebratory Dinner

THURSDAY 17TH MAY 2018
Text by Cecilia Luras
Photos by Alvaro Lopez Gimenez

Norwegian Music Special

Whilst the champagne from Berry Bros. &
Rudd’s own selection and the conversations
flowed, our favorite pianist, Oda Voltersvik,
played selections from Edward Grieg’s Holberg
Suite, Lyrical Pieces and The Bridal Procession,
Harald Sæverud’s Capriccio’s in A minor,
G major and G (large) minor, Geirr Tveitt’s
Hardanger Fiddle and The Mountain man’s girl,
Jean Sibelius’ Impromptus No.5 in B minor, and
Philip Martin’s Gathering and Murmuration. A
delightful musical performance to set the right
Norwegian mood for the evening!
Warm welcome
Dinner followed in the splendid surroundings of
Den Norske Klub’s King Harald V Room, now
possibly the most beautiful room of its kind in
London. In front of more than 70 guests, Chair
Cecilia Luras wished members and guests a
warm welcome to the 2018 Den Norske Klub’s
17th May Celebratory Dinner.

Continued overleaf
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 17
 Elegantly decorated tables
The tables were beautifully laid with white tablecloths, Den
Norske Klub and 17th May paraphernalia to put everyone
in a festive mood! The menu was traditional 17th May fare:
to start, asparagus with Norwegian prosciutto, so-called
spekeskinke, seasoned with a delightful mustard dressing,
followed by a main course of poached salmon with all
the right accompaniments; traditional cucumber salad,
boiled potatoes and an airy hollandaise sauce. The dessert,
a traditional Norwegian bløtekake was accompanied
by In&Out Chef Gary Esprit’s strawberries in aquavit,
specifically created for the evening… Extravagantly
luxurious! The Norwegian Kransekake on the tables
was very kindly donated by honorary Den Norske Klub
members, Rolf and Angela Christophersen. Thank you!

18 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Inspiring Takk-for-Maten Tale
The guest of honour, Mr Martin Falch, CEO and co-founder
of 360Leaders, held an insightful and interesting Takk-for-
Maten Tale, sharing memorable moments from his career
and life as a Norwegian living longer term in the UK. An
inspiration to us all!

Wine, Aquavit and Songs….

The wines accompanying the delightful asparagus and
prosciutto starter, and the lovely poached salmon with
cucumber salad and hollandaise sauce, were supplied
by The Burgundy Portfolio. The white wine was a 2013
Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Albert Joly, carefully selected
by Andrew Corben-Clarke of The Burgundy Portfolio. The
bottles of Linie Aquavit that filled the smaller glasses were
generously donated by Amathus.
No Norwegian festive 17th May is complete without the
national anthem sung at least once… Already in a festive
mood after Pianist Oda Voltersvik’s wonderful Norwegian
musical repertoire before dinner and Martin Falch’s inspiring
Takk-for-Maten Tale, our guests joined into singing, both Ja,
vi elsker and Kongesangen during the sumptuous dinner.

Continued overleaf
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 19
20 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
 Amazing raffle!
The evening was rounded off by Raffle King Christian
Hvamstad, who elegantly and joyfully, hosted the
legendary, Den Norske Klub raffle, with the help of the
evening’s Raffle Princess, Hege Nordahl. With fantastic
prizes, tickets were selling like hot-cakes. First prize was
the much sought after train ticket for two anywhere in
Norway, very kindly donated by NSB. Other prizes included
cufflinks and ties from Den Norske Klub’s new gentleman’s
collection; lunch for two at the Scandinavian Kitchen; a
number of bottles of Linie Aquavit from Amathus; 3 months
membership at Albert’s Private Members Club in South
Kensington; a day out playing golf with friends and a ticket
for two to Ales Tales, both kindly donated by TicketCo;
two bottles of cognac from Den Norske Klub’s board, and
a variety of dinner vouchers kindly donated by the London
based digital marketing agency, Adwaiz.
After the dinner, the festive moment continued downstairs
in the Canning Bar, whilst the more resilient members of
the party carried on the festivities at the after-party kindly
hosted by Albert’s Private Members Club into the early
hours… Another great 17th May Celebration at Den Norske
Klub!

www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 21
 Figgjo AS is located in beautiful natural
surroundings at Figgjo, outside Sandnes on the
west coast of Norway. We are the only remaining
large scale producer of porcelain in the Nordic
region. We use traditional craftsmanship and
modern machinery to translate classic design
into functional and durable porcelain. We pride
ourselves in making the highest quality porcelain
and at the same time all our products are
100% environmentally friendly and contain no
environmentally harmful materials. We have been
influenced by the unpretentious Scandinavian
design expression where belonging and traditions
are just as important as food trends.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

22 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
History
Activities started on the land where the
Figgjo factory is located today as early as
1918 when local farmers built a powerplant.
This included a dam and a canal which are
still here today. Electricity was produced
for the local farmers for almost 20 years. By
then access to electricity from other sources
had become more easily available, so the
powerplant was shut down. The founders of
Figgjo AS, Harald Lima and Sigurd Figved,
bought the powerplant in 1939. In 1941 they
wanted to take full advantage of owning
their own powerplant, so they founded
Figgjo Kraftselskap.
Because of the vast access to clay in the
surrounding area, there are long traditions
in ceramic production in the Sandnes area.
That is why Harald Lima and Sigurd Figved
decided to go into pottery production,
a craftsmanship with strong traditions in
the district. In 1946 designer and ceramist
Ragnar Grimsrud came in as co-owner and
general manager. A factory was built, and to
increase efficiency the first tunnel kiln was
installed in 1946. This kiln is still in use in the
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
production today. In 1949 Figgjo converts
to industrialised glazed earthenware
production and changes it’s name to Figgjo
Fajanse AS.
The 1950ies were good to Figgjo and by
1955 about 300 people were employed
at the factory. Figgjo Fajanse AS had
become a major employer in Figgjo and the
surrounding region. As early as 1952 Figgjo
started exporting porcelain to Great Britain
and Denmark, and by the end of the fifties
the export share had already reached as
high as 10 %.
In 1960 Figgjo started production of
vitreous porcelain, sometimes called vitro
porcelain, which is a particularly durable
type of porcelain developed for professional
use. The porcelain is strengthened with
aluminum oxide. This makes the product
particularly strong and resistant against the
hard use you typically have in a professional
kitchen. After 1985 all Figgjo’s products are
made of vitreous porcelain.
1969 is also the year Figgjo decides to
merge with their main local competitor,
Stavangerflint A/S. This is done mainly
Continued overleaf
23
 to meet the competition from Porsgrund
Porselænsfabrik. The new company had
over 500 employees and had become one
of the biggest employers in the region with
a turnover of around 20 million Norwegian
kroner. Production at Stavangerflint went
on for another 10 years, but in 1979 all
production was moved to the Figgjo factory
and the company changed its name to
Figgjo AS which it is known as today.
In the mid-nineties Figgjo made the decision
to develop and market products only for
the professional kitchen, meaning hotels,
restaurants, cafés, catering, canteens and
institutions. Sales to the private market were
made through the factory outlet located
on the factory property and now we also
sell to the private market in Norway via our
website www.figgjo.no.
Today Figgjo is a family owned business,
owned by the local Rugland family, with
Anne Kristine Rugland as CEO.
Design
For Figgjo, design is about creating
experiences for end users. But it is also
24
about giving chefs, waiters and waitresses
functional and inspiring tools – and about
challenging a material that is 4,000 years
old. Product development starts with
industry understanding. We collaborate
with institutional chefs and international
culinary teams and develop products that
take our customers’ demanding work
situations into account. This is about both
fulfilling the many practical requirements
that professional users have – and also
about giving users opportunities for creative
development.
Figgjo has collaborated with many notable
designers with great success.
Design Awards
In addition to gaining us a reputation as
an innovative and sometimes provoking
supplier of porcelain, our design expertise
has also brought us many honours. Since
the year 2000, Figgjo has received as
many as ten Awards for Design Excellence,
as well as the prestigious Honours Award
for Design Excellence, which is annually
awarded to the company that has made
the best use of design at a strategic, overall
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
level. Figgjo has also been nominated for
the Honours Award for Design Excellence
for Figgjo Spir.
In 2002, Figgjo was the first Norwegian
company to be awarded the German and
internationally-renowned Red Dot Design
Award for Figgjo Form – and for Figgjo
Planet 40 in the following year. In 2016
we won the Red Dot Award Honourable
Mention, for the coffee concept Figgjo Oslo.

Figgjo would like to give

members of Den Norske Klub
30% OFF in our Norwegian
webshop, Figgjo.no, until the
end of August.
Use discount coupon code DNK2018
when checking out to get the
discount. Since we only sell to
customers in Norway, your shipping
address has to be in Norway to
be able to take advantage of this
discount code.

www.dennorskeklub.co.uk 25
 I N V E S TO R CO R N E R

We interview Danske Bank’s

chief strategist, Tine Choi,
to get her assessment on the
current state of the global
economy, the recent turmoil
in the financial markets and
the outlook for investors in
the coming year.

NAME: Tine Choi

TITLE: Chief Strategist, Danske Bank

CHIEF STRATEGIST:
Where we see investment opportunities
Equity markets rose steadily
throughout 2017, but the financial
markets have experienced
considerable price volatility in 2018.
What is the reason for this?
“Several factors have been involved. First,
there were concerns that US interest rates
would rise further and faster than hitherto
expected, potentially putting a damper
on economic growth. Next, Donald Trump
has begun pushing the US into a major
trade war with China in particular, which
is fuelling investor jitters because trade
restrictions could hit global trade and have
a negative impact on economic growth.
And finally, the IT sector has been rocked
by news that data from as many as 87
million Facebook users was misused in
connection with the US presidential election
in 2016. Investors fear this could lead to
tighter regulation of the US tech giants,
which might potentially hit their earnings –
and thus their share prices.”
Does this cocktail of negative events
mean investors should keep clear of
equities at the moment?
“No, that is definitely not our view. We are
relatively optimistic when looking ahead
and do not expect either rising interest
rates or the challenges facing trade to
have a serious impact on the solid rates
of growth the global economy is enjoying.
Despite the market turmoil of recent
months we are still in the midst of a global
economic upswing where companies –
and hence investors – are benefiting from
solid private consumption and a healthy
corporate appetite for investment. Our view

26 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
therefore is that equity prices will continue
to head higher in the coming year, though
most likely at a slower pace than in recent
years and still with a risk of considerable
price volatility.”
Where do you see the most attractive
potential for return at the moment?
“We see a greater potential in equities than
in bonds for the coming year, which is why
we are currently overweighting equities and
underweighting bonds. We expect global
equities to produce a return of 10-12% over
the coming 12 months in local currencies.
Historically, the final phase of an economic
upswing or a bull market – in other words,
a market with rising equity prices – has
tended to provide the highest returns from
equities. Naturally, there is no guarantee
history will repeat itself, but our view is that
the equity market still has more to give.”
What are your expectations for bonds?
“Our expectations for bond returns are
rather modest. Yields remain very low and,
moreover, any increase in yields would
cause bond prices to fall.”
Does that mean investors should steer
clear of bonds at the moment?
“No, bonds are always an important
component in a portfolio of investments.
While it’s true that bonds give a lower
expected return than equities, they also
entail a lower risk. They typically fluctuate
less in value and generate lower losses than
equities during the bad times. Historically,
bond prices have in fact often increased
during periods of major equity market price
falls. Hence, bonds constitute a form of
safety net in an investment portfolio.”
Where do you see the greatest return
potential among the equity markets?
“We have been overweighting European
equities for quite some time now and
have also recently begun to overweight
emerging market equities. Emerging market
equities generally possess an attractive
combination of cheap valuations relative to
other regions and high expected corporate
earnings in 2018 and 2019 – and higher
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
earnings of course create a foundation for
higher equity prices. The positive outlook
for emerging market equities is further
bolstered by the major economies being
in a mature or late phase of the economic
expansion, which supports commodity and
energy prices and thus Latin America and
Eastern Europe, where these sectors weigh
heavily.
However, we are most positive on Asia
among the emerging markets – and not
least China, which is the main locomotive
for the high levels of economic growth
in Asia. Domestic consumption in China
is booming and being driven not only by
consumers in the major cities, but also by
the more rural districts, where reforms have
supported consumption. Online shopping
has in fact grown faster in rural districts
than in the cities in recent years. Moreover,
Chinese workers are benefiting from a pick-
up in wage growth, as there is no longer an
oversupply of labour.”
What is your view on IT equities
given the storm the sector has been
through? Is this a sector that investors
should avoid at the moment?
“No, not in our opinion – we currently have
an overweight in IT equities. Increased
regulation rising up the political agenda
would of course create uncertainty in the
short term, but at the same time it would
be very unlikely to destroy the business
model underpinning companies like
Facebook. Digitalisation and the possibilities
the IT companies’ products give consumers
are here to stay, and the earnings potential
of many IT companies has been growing
strongly of late. IT companies are in fact
earning a lot of money – in contrast to the
time around the dot.com bubble at the
start of the millennium, when any promising
business model could be uncritically valued
at billions of dollars.”
DISCLAIMER
The contents of this publication have been prepared
for information purposes only and do not constitute
investment advice. You should always consult a
professional advisor if you are considering making
an investment to ascertain whether a particular
investment fits with your investment profile.
27
 DEN NORSKE KLUB ART SERIES

“What a great experience”

“I really enjoyed the discussion on
Ibsen following the performance”
“How amazing to get such an
up-close and intimate view”

LITTLE EYOLF
at The Print Room
Text by Cecilia Luras
Photo’s courtesy of Nationalteateret, Pauline Houpillart and Geir Lund

S
eeing Ibsen’s timeless drama for the
first time through the outstanding
performance of Norwegian actors Kåre
Conradi and Pia Tjelta as they perform the
characters of Mr and Mrs Almers in Sofia
Jupither’s interpretation of Ibsen’s Little
Eyolf at the Print Room at the Coronet in
London, was a true gift.
Unlike many of Ibsen’s earlier plays, there is
little reference to (or critique of) society in
Little Eyolf. The piece rather focuses in on
the many aspects of individual guilt. From
the explicit need for continuous affirmation
exposed in Rita, to the transformation
of self-imposed failure to aspirational
intellectual success through his child in
Alfred and the complete lack of parental
recognition of the physical existence and
needs of a child, the spectator is exposed in
a grimly humoristic fashion to the rawness
of human nature.

28 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
In Sofia Jupither’s production, little
Eyolf is not only put at the centre of her
interpretation of the piece, but the very
modern day stage setting also projects the
timelessness of the piece. Seeing Jupither,
Conradi and Tjelta’s successful collective
interpretation of Lille Eyolf reminds fans of
Ibsen that the little know play of Little Eyolf
is as relevant today as in 1894…
Very much considered the founding father
of modernism in theatre, Ibsen’s legacy
extends well beyond Norway. Although
Ibsen has been an inspiration for many
and in Little Eyolf is seen by some as the
ancestor to soul-baring modern dramas
by Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams and
Edward Albee, Ibsen does not hesitate to
make his own allusions to history in his own
storytelling. Through the rat-wife character
played by Andrine Sæther, and who is the
one who attracts Little Eyolf away from
his un-attentive/self-occupied parents to
his death, we see parallels to the Grimm
Brothers Die Kinder zu Hameln which
describes the disappearance of more than
100 children seduced by a rat-catcher.
www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Ibsenkompaniet
Kåre Conradi, trained at LAMDA and the
Norwegian Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kåre
is not only one of Norway’s most acclaimed
actors, he is also Ibsenkompaniet’s Artistic
Director. Through Ibsenkompaniet, Kåre
Conradi aims to bring Ibsen’s extraordinary
talent to a wider audience through leading
Ibsen interpreters on stage and performed
in both English and Norwegian. The mis-
en-stage of Little Eyolf at the Print Room
we understand is the first of many future
collaborations between Ibsenkompaniet and
the Print Room. We’re looking forward to
seeing the next one!
The Print Room at the Coronet is an
off-West End Theatre that opened in
2010. Its main focus is to “stage exciting
undiscovered pieces by great writers, and
to provide an opportunity for emerging and
talented artists from all fields”.
29
 DEN NORSKE KLUB ART SERIES

Radical, controversial, non-

conformist, independent, yet
intimate and introspective,
appealing both to the
immediate consciousness,
as well as, the timeless
unconscious. All words used
to describe Norwegian artist
Bjarne Melgaard’s art practice.

BJARNE MELGAARD
at Thaddaeus Ropac Galerie
Text by Cecilia Luras
Photos courtesy Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac and Cecilia Luras

T
hrough Den Norske Klub’s Art Series our
members were invited to a private view of
Bjarne Melgaard’s latest exhibition at the
Thaddaeus Ropac Galerie in London. In the physical,
more traditional exhibition space, the large scale
paintings were exhibited on leaning marble blocs
giving the viewer not only a very intimate visual
relationship with each work but also a strong sensory
experience from smelling the freshly painted oil on the
canvas. Directed by the gallery’s senior global director
of Special Projects at Galerie Ropac and chief curator
of both Melgaard exhibitions, Dame Julia Peyton-
Jones DBE, took Den Norske Klub members on a
mesmerising tour of Melgaards art practice.
The physical gallery exhibition, Bodyparty (Substance
Paintings), which displayed 14 large scale paintings
finalised in Melgaards Oslo studio and reflecting his
complex relationship with past and present, was
displayed in parallel with an innovative digital project,
Life Killed My Chihuahua. During the 6 week duration of
the physical gallery exhibition, Melgaard managed the
gallery’s Instagram account giving the viewer a unique
insight into both his own artistic practice and that of 15
urban, young and emerging Norwegian artists.
The splendid tour of the gallery was led by Dame Julia
Peyton-Jones DBE, senior global director of Special
Projects at Galerie Ropac, and was hosted by Polly
Robinson Gaer, Managing Director of Ropac Galerie’s
London space.
30 www.dennorskeklub.co.uk
Foto: Stein Lindseth Olsen/Anunatak AS

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