Early Life
Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson was born on March 19, 1967, in Reykjavík, Iceland. He comes from a prominent Icelandic family with a rich legacy in business and politics. His great-grandfather was the Danish-born Icelandic entrepreneur Thor Jensen. From a young age, Björgólfsson demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit, taking on various ventures like delivering newspapers.
Rise to Success
Björgólfsson began his career with early investments in Russia. He co-founded Bravo Brewery, producing beer and spirits, which later became a leader in the Russian beverage industry. In 2002, he sold Bravo to Heineken for $325 million and used the revenue to make investments in the telecom, pharma, and banking industries. Björgólfsson became the first Icelander to be on the Forbes list of the world's richest people in 2005. By 2007, he was declared Iceland's first billionaire.
Key Business Strategies
After the sale of Bravo Brewery, Björgólfsson founded Novator Partners in 2004. He invested in telecommunications, generic pharmaceuticals, and technology sectors. His investment strategy included taking board seats in portfolio companies. Novator invested in companies such as WOM Play, a mobile telecoms company, in addition to startups like Zwift, Deliveroo, and Stripe.
Philanthropy
While specific amounts aren't readily available, Bjorgolfsson is known to support sustainability focused initiatives including Princeville Capital and the eco-driven lifestyle brand The Lost Explorer.
