Ferd (company)

Ferd is a family-owned investment company owned by the fifth and sixth generation Andresen. We have called our investment company Ferd, because in the true sense of the word it is "a journey without end".

The vision describes what we should all strive for. It is about creating value beyond the financial. Our ambition is to create and develop companies, ownership environments, organizations and changes that contribute to development for individuals and society and thus make a positive impression.

Leaving clear traces means that we want to leave something lasting, significant and visible. It also means a recognition that tracks become clearest if many go the same way - ie a desire that all companies, units and employees are driven by the same overriding principles without inhibiting the individual company's identity and freedom of action.

Everyone should feel secure that we keep our promises - we implement our strategies and reach our goals. Although Ferd is a family-owned company, we are required to show openness to the media and the outside world in order to achieve greater credibility.

For Ferd, value creation is about more than just financial returns. It is also about contributing positively to growth and development for the society and the environment we are part of, and that we must do so in a way that supports the sustainability goals. The breadth of our business includes active ownership and company development in private and listed companies, financial investments, real estate development, external managers, impact investments and social entrepreneurship.

In 1849, the first Johan H. Andresen bought Tiedemanns Tobaksfabrik and the company has since been owned by the family. From the very beginning, the family has been involved in various types of industrial and financial activities in combination with a strong commitment to society, culture and politics.

In 1998, the operational involvement in the tobacco business ceased and in 2001 the group changed its name to Ferd. The name change marked that a traditional company was now on its way to realizing a new vision, a new business idea and new values.

The group has had an independent board since 2004 where the members are external, from 2012 with Johan H. Andresen as chairman.

Ferd is today owned by Johan H. Andresen and his two daughters Katharina and Alexandra, fifth and sixth generation Andresen, respectively.

The group management in Ferd consists of three people. Morten Borge is CEO.

Ferd has had an independent board since 2004. The board of Ferd Holding currently consists of five board members, four of whom are external. Johan H. Andresen is chairman of the board.

We work to create value for companies and individuals. As an active owner and investor, we provide not only capital, but also expertise, networks and a willingness to try new things.

Our owners have given Ferd a vision to organize the business according to, and it is the organization's mission to fill the vision with content that makes us want to approach it over time.

We are about 50 motivated employees who know the responsibility that lies in the fact that it is our competence that will transform Ferd's capital base and advantages into lasting values ​​and clear traces.

The generational perspective that lies in our family ownership gives us a flexibility and predictability that makes us different from many other investment environments. Together with a solid capital base, we also offer broad expertise, a large network and a willingness to invest in order to achieve value creation.

The breadth of our business includes active ownership and company development in private and listed companies, financial investments, real estate development, external managers, impact investments and social entrepreneurship.

We measure Ferd's investments at fair value. For the group, we therefore show the development in value-adjusted equity.

From the time Ferd was launched in 2001 until today, the value-adjusted equity has increased from NOK 6 billion to around NOK 41.2 billion, which corresponds to an annual return of 10.2%.

At the turn of the year, Ferd had a preliminary calculated value-adjusted equity of NOK 41.1 billion (NOK 35.0 billion as of 31 December 2019). For Ferd as a whole, the return on value-adjusted equity was 17.8 per cent. A very good result for Ferd in a special year that was marked by the corona pandemic.