Johan Melander
 Johan Melander    (financier, deep state actor) | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 27 April 1910 |
| Died | 1 December 1989 (Age 79) |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
Johan Arnt Melander was a Norwegian banker. He was CEO of Den norske Creditbank (DnC) from 1954 to 1980, a bank with its own intelligence apparatus surveilling suspected left wing radicals, and a leading person in Norwegian business life.[1]
Early Career
After finishing his education in 1932, he worked as a layer before moving into the civil service. He coincidentally worked in London as secretary at the embassy when the Norwegian government-in-exile established itself there in 1940. He stayed in the government-in-exile's service through the war, among other things, as Executive Secretary of the central bank (Norges Bank) 1941–43.[2]
From 1949, Melander was head of the Foreign Trade Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The experience from this made him a convinced advocate for greater liberalization of international trade, and he led Norway's delegation to the GATT negotiations from the early 1950s.[2]
DnC
Johan Melander was CEO of Den norske Creditbank (DnC) 1954–80. Under his leadership, DnC developed into Norway's leading commercial bank, and a part of the Norwegian deep state. For decades, the bank had a finger in most commercial transactions.[3]
Melander believed that DnC had to take responsibility for the development of Norwegian business and industry, not least with regard to international competitiveness and innovation. With his background from the civil service, he had the ability to coordinate the bank's attitudes with the authorities' overall view of what were national interests. His contact network was large, and he took a bigger view of the importance of collective behavior.[2]
Prior to the referendum on the EEC, the predecessor predecessor of the European Union, in 1972, Melander was one of the most eager proponents of Norwegian membership, and an avid supporter of Yes-campaign, not least financially. (The "No" campaign won, keeping Norway out.)
Own intelligence service
The bank had its own surveillance apparatus for suspected communists and other left wing radicals. The so-called "DnC notes" mapped the Norwegian left, especially SUF (m-l). The secret notes were circulated to trusted individuals in larger companies and organizations. The revelations of the notes in 1971 attracted attention, but Melander defended the system.[3]
From 1957 to 1958 he chaired the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) committee that worded the Treaty of the European Free Trade Association
Events Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilderberg/1960 | 28 May 1960 | 29 May 1960 | Switzerland Bürgenstock | The 9th such meeting and the first one in Switzerland. 61 participants + 4 "in attendance". The meeting report contains a press statement, 4 sentences long. |
| Bilderberg/1965 | 2 April 1965 | 4 April 1965 | Italy Villa d'Este | The 14th Bilderberg meeting, held in Italy |
References
- ↑ https://nbl.snl.no/Johan_Melander
- ↑ a b c https://nbl.snl.no/Johan_Melander
- ↑ a b Pål Steigan, En Folkefiende, page 299
