The A.P. Moller Foundation as an owner

The A.P. Moller Foundation was created to ensure a family-controlled ownership structure of the business activities “in the spirit of A.P. Møller”; the deed of the Foundation spells out the purpose of A.P. Moller Holding.

As the investment arm of the A.P. Moller Foundation, the purpose of A.P. Moller Holding is to exercise the Foundation’s role as an engaged owner in the spirit of A.P. Møller, and to ensure that the Foundation can continue to contribute to society in the form of donations for generations to come.

When A.P. Møller established the Foundation in 1953, he did so by mutual understanding with his three children, thus ensuring agreement on how ownership control would transition over generations.

Although comprising activities in diverse sectors, the Group’s main business consisted of two jointly operated shipping companies and the Odense Steel Shipyard. It was crucial for A.P. Møller that those activities would continue to be managed in accordance with his business principles.

The phrase “in the spirit of A.P. Møller” is derived from the deed of the Foundation, where A.P. Møller explains his business principles in three short statements, saying that the companies:

• “…must be well consolidated…”,
• “…must build up activities and have a positive impact on society…”, and
• “…that paying out dividends is of secondary importance…”.

• The first statement is a direct reference to the volatile nature of the shipping market; depreciation and savings were made to safeguard the viability of the business over the economic cycles.
• Secondly, the liberally minded A.P. Møller saw business activities as a useful means for a positive development of society.
• The third principle implies that profits from the business activities should be reinvested in the existing business or used for “the build-up of useful activities”; only when principles 1 and 2 are fulfilled will the shareholders receive a dividend.

A.P. Moller Holding was established in 2013 and represents the next step in safeguarding the long-term viability of the A.P. Moller Group companies over generations.

Learn more about the A.P. Moller Foundation via the link (only available in Danish)

Learn more about the A.P. Moller Foundation