Ansgar Gabrielsen
Ansgar Gabrielsen (born 21 May 1955) is a Norwegian consultant and former politician for the Conservative Party.
Early life and local politics
He was born in Mandal as a son of Terje Gabrielsen and Astrid Olsen. He is an insurance agent by education and worked in this profession before entering politics. He is also a trained officer in the Norwegian Defence Force. He was a member of Lindesnes municipal council from 1983 to 1993, the last six years as mayor.[1] His father Terje Gabrielsen has also been mayor of Lindesnes, from 1975 to 1979. Ansgar Gabrielsen also chaired his county party chapter from 1989 to 1990, and was a member of the Conservative Party central board during the same period.[1]
National politics
He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Vest-Agder in 1993, and was re-elected on the two following occasions in 1997 and 2001. In 2001 Gabrielsen was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry as a part of Bondevik's Second Cabinet. Following the cabinet reshuffle in 2004 he became Minister of Health and Care Services. While Gabrielsen was a cabinet member his seat in parliament was taken by Peter Skovholt Gitmark. Bondevik's Second Cabinet fell following the 2005 election.[1]
While Minister of Trade and Industry, Gabrielsen was first criticized for his suggestion about a law that requires 40% of the board members in Norwegian companies to be female. The law was passed with the blessing of the socialist parties, but his own party opposed it.[1]
Post-political career
Gabrielsen moved from Lindesnes when being elected in 1993, and resided at Østerås.[2][3] He also kept his residential address in Spangereid, his constituent district. Towards the end of his cabinet tenure, he was reported as residing in a yacht at Aker Brygge in Oslo. In 2007 he stood for municipal re-election in Lindesnes, and won a seat. However, as it surfaced that he had recently bought an apartment in Oslo, he had to relinquish the seat.[4]
Gabrielsen started his own consultant company in 2006. In 2007 he became chairman of the Special Olympics and the Norwegian Council for Mental Health.[1]
In 2007, Tor Øystein Vaaland, former leader of the Norwegian Council for Mental Health, published the book Brev til en minister (Letters to a Minister) based on private letters Gabrielsen received while he served as Minister of health, with a focus on letters from people with psychiatric problems or drug addiction.[5] The book was published in 205,000 copies and distributed to Norwegian healthcare workers.[6]
Gabrielsen was decorated as a Commander of the Order of St. Olav in 2005.[1] Gabrielsen is married and has four children.
In 2014 was elected as chairman of the board at CSAM Health.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ansgar Gabrielsen" (in Norwegian). Stortinget.no.
- ↑ Hov, Ragnhild (20 October 2001). "Storbyregjeringen Bondevik II". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian). p. 8.
- ↑ Alstadheim, Kjetil B.; Grande, Arne (5 November 2001). "Venter på flere eiere". Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). p. 6.
- ↑ Rasch, Lars Helge. "Gabrielsen ikke lokal nok" (in Norwegian). NRK Sørlandet. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- ↑ Kjære minister (Norwegian) Dagbladet, retrieved 15 July 2013
- ↑ Kathrine Aspaas (13 December 2013): Årets viktigste bok (Norwegian) Aftenposten, retrieved 15 July 2013
- ↑ http://www.csamhealth.com/uk/board-of-directors/
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Grete Knudsen |
Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry 2001–2004 |
Succeeded by Børge Brende |
| Preceded by Dagfinn Høybråten |
Norwegian Minister of Health and Care Services 2004–2005 |
Succeeded by Sylvia Brustad |
| ||||||||
