Outwork and Outwait

“Therefore, Wittusen brought the two together one afternoon for a meeting at Heyerdahl's office at Orkla's main office, which at that time was located at Lysaker. There was no talk of a partnership at first sight, as there was simply too much that separated the two: Kjell Inge Røkke was the unpolished and impulsive – a man of action, while Jens P. Heyerdahl, on the other hand, liked to take his time. As the most patient and tenacious leader of Norwegian industry, he had made a career of wearing out his opponents. Heyerdahl's trademark was to wait them out, as it's said, and he wanted to take his time this time as well. Kjell Inge Røkke would have to prove his worth before he entered Heyerdahl's sphere.”

“"Something must be done!" Gunnvor firmly declared. She thought of her second cousin Jan Laukholm who she knew was soon going back to the fishing fields. He worked for the Ålesund shipowner Evvik and might know about some work for the son. Gunnvor called Laukholm and explained the situation. "He was not easy to handle, and it was not easy for a 17-year-old to find a job," recalls Laukholm, but he did what he could. He called the shipping company and it turned out they had a vacant job on a fishing boat that was heading to the Barents Sea just a few days later.”