The LEGO Group is a world-renowned toy manufacturer, and its classic plastic bricks have accompanied countless children in their growth. And this Danish-based family business has also given birth to a group of billionaires. One of them is Sophie Kirk Kristiansen, the great-granddaughter of LEGO founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen.
Sophie, 47, is a close friend of Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark, and one of Denmark's richest women. According to Forbes magazine, her personal net worth reached $6.8 billion, ranking 49th on the list of the world's richest women. And according to the magazine's list of Europe's richest people, the Lego family is the richest family in Denmark, accounting for $32.8 billion of the country's $57 billion billionaire wealth.
On Nov. 24, Sophie attracted attention because she had cashed out about 9 percent of her family's holding company, Kirkbi A S$300 million. Kirkby is the largest shareholder of the LEGO Group, holding 75% of the group. According to a Bloomberg report, Sophie disclosed in a document in the Danish Companies Registry that she was trading at 1580,000 DKK **, 4,000,000 shares of Kirkby, for a total of 63DKK 200 million.
Kirkby said in a statement that the proceeds of Sophie's shares were paid to her as a form of dividend, and that hers**'s shares were subsequently cancelled by Kirkby, meaning that other family members increased their stakes in the family company. "Earlier this year, Sophie Kirk Christiansen reached an agreement with other shareholders to give Kirkby a small stake** so that she can devote more time and resources to some conservation projects," Kirkby added. ”
Sophie is not involved in the management of the LEGO Group, and her brother Thomas Kirk Kristiansen is the chairman of Kirkby and the vice chairman of the LEGO Group. Their father, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the former CEO of the LEGO Group, retired in May of this year, handing over control of the family business to an heir.
The LEGO Group was founded in 1932 as a wooden toy factory and later began producing plastic bricks in the 1950s. The LEGO Group has seen tremendous growth during the pandemic, with sales increasing by 43% in the first half of 2021. In 2022, the group's revenue reached $9.1 billion, far exceeding Barbie doll maker Mattel's $5.4 billion. Despite this, the LEGO Group does not rest on its laurels and continues to invest in sustainability and digital transformation to meet the challenges and changes in the market.
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