Langnes Laks plans to build a fully integrated land-based salmon farm in Northern Norway. The company is part-owned by British billionaire Rory David Fleming, nephew of James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
The project was reported in Altaposten in January 2019. Geir Spiten, who is behind the plans, announced that his company wants to build a hatchery, grow out, salmon farm and a harvest plant with processing in Alta, the largest town in Norway’s northernmost county, Finnmark.Â
In August of that year, Langnes Laks was formally founded with a share capital of EUR 92,000.
Spiten, who is managing director of the aquaculture supplier Akvatech, could also say that a time-limited option of up to twelve months had been applied for the lease of land, entitled to the purchase of the entire Langnes industrial area. The application was processed on 3 May 2015. On June 15, the presidency of Alta municipality, and the municipality was positive about it.
Known Fleming for over 20 years
The local publication has previously written that Spiten has linked to local players in the project.
But SalmonBusiness can now tell for the first time that wealthy Rory David Fleming, nephew of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, is on the ownership side of Lba AS, which is the parent company of Langnes Laks. Rory David Fleming sits on the board of both Lba AS and Akvatech.
“This is managed through Stonehage Fleming (20 per cent stake), where his family money has entered the company,” explained Spiten to SalmonBusiness.
Fleming
Fleming Family & Partners, run by relatives of banker Robert Fleming and mentioned Ian Fleming, merged in 2015 with the Stonehage Group, an international family company with roots in South Africa. Together they formed Stonhage Fleming, which manages over GBP 45 billion for 250 families, including for the Fleming family, in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This is according to the website Citywire.
According to multiple sources, the Fleming family, which is worth more than a billion pounds, is one of England’s richest families.
In 2012, the Guardian wrote that although the books and films about James Bond have generated huge revenues for the Fleming family, it is only part of the total wealth. The family has had successful bankers for many generations. According to the newspaper, the family has also invested in Russian gold mines and taken care of investments for billionaires in the Middle East.
Spiten again stressed that it is not the Fleming family that has invested in the company, but Rory David Fleming.
“I’ve known Rory for well over 20 years. He is a personal friend,” Spiten answered questions about how the duo know each other.
Final stages
According to Spiten, Fleming has visited Alta a number of times.
Geir Spiten does not want to say anything about how much the company plans to apply for, or how much to invest.
“We are in the final stages of the completion of the licence application,” he added.
