2020 was a watershed year in the development of the AKO Foundation, as it marked the departure from the board of our founder, Nicolai Tangen, upon his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund.  Nicolai and Katja Tangen’s generosity, ambition and vision had provided the driving force for the Foundation since its inception in 2013. 

The arrangements connected with Nicolai’s assumption of his new role required the divestment both of his partnership interest in AKO Capital, and of a number of his other investment assets.  Substantially all of these were gifted by Nicolai to the Foundation (and its wholly-owned subsidiary), resulting in the very substantial increase in the Foundation’s net assets since 2019. 

The Trustees wish to place on public record their continuing gratitude and appreciation for this act of great generosity.