- DNB top knew about tax havens – NRK

Sources in DNB confirmed to VG that Turnes knew about tax haven initiative.

DNB boss has said that it went under the radar of management, board of directors, internal and external control DNB Luxembourg has helped to place money in tax haven Seychelles.

Turnes, now executive vice president for risk management at DNB, sat on the board of DNB Luxembourg from 2005 to 2010, the period when DNB Luxembourg established tax havens-approach. In 2010 he was chairman.

DNB’s President & CEO Rune Bjerke said at a press conference today that the practice went under the radar of the management of the company.

Photo: Larsen, Hakon Mosvold / NTB scanpix

Bjerke has not been available for comment neither to VG or NTB Monday night. Turnes has not answered the newspaper’s inquiries yet. DNB
vice Even Westerveld shows opposite NTB to report Bjerke gave earlier Monday.

Raja: Bjerke position must be considered

– I do not control DNB based on emotions

Statement

report Bjerke presented, it says that the administration of DNB Luxembourg made a plan including opened to facilitate customers could create companies in lavskattland. The plan was discussed by the Board of DNB Luxembourg in 2005 and updated in 2006, according to the report.

– In this period there were several plans that were sent to the then Board of DNB Luxembourg. Boards of DNB Luxembourg has consisted of representatives of DNB’s Norwegian organization for years, said Bjerke at a news conference Monday.

Fragments of strategy

– When today looking at these board documents, one should, by modern standards, have had reason to raise any questions or comment on this in such a way that one might have lifted it higher up. But I think one should be aware that this was presented in several presentations that fragments of a strategy, said Bjerke.

He added that he is most concerned with identifying facts, reveal what happened and ensure that the failure of systems and control are corrected.

– to initiate a witch hunt or person looking, I think is less important than learning of the conditions that made this practice was established said Bjerke at the press conference.