The Founder : André Oscar Wallenberg (1816-1886) Swedish Banker, Politician

André Oscar Wallenberg, the founder of Sweden s most prominent financial dynasty, was a colourful individual; indeed, his biography might be read as an adventure story. The son of a bishop, AOW first became a navy officer and later a journalist, politician (Member of Parliament from 1853 onwards) and banker. With the founding of Stockholms Enskilda Bank in 1856 Wallenberg created an important platform for his systematic efforts to modernize Sweden's banking system, which - after the legislative reforms of 1864 and 1874 - Wallenberg loved to characterize as the best in the world. In 1878-79, however, both his system and his bank found themselves in a deep crisis which brought a close to Wallenbergs grand career as a leading financier, politician and journalist during Sweden s harmony liberal era 1848- 1878 - an important period of transition from the traditional ideals of agricultural society to the scientific modernity of Western industrialism. In the long run this crisis would, however, signify a new era of success for the Wallenberg family, led by