Christian began his career as the assistant to the Nordic area manager of Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. from 1978 to 1979. After graduating from HBS in 1981, he became a consultant with McKinsey & Company in Scandinavia from 1981 to 1984. He has been active in the real estate industry since 1984. Christian is the largest shareholder and CEO of real estate firms Eiendomsspar and Victoria Eiendom.
In addition to his Eiendomsspar responsibilities, Christian owns various properties, businesses, and museums in Oslo. In 2003, Eiendomsspar bought Oslo’s Ekeberg Restaurant, not far from where Edvard Munch found the inspiration for his famous 1893 painting, The Scream (The National Museum in Oslo). Ringnes later financed and developed Ekebergparken Sculpture Park. In 2013, he was voted “Citizen of the Year” by readers of Norway’s largest media outlet, Aftenposten, and received Oslo City’s highest award, the St. Hallvard Medal, for his efforts to develop and promote Oslo as a city and a destination. His pioneering achievements in real estate and his expansive knowledge and passion for the arts continue to have profound business and artistic significance, sparking conversation on the vital intersection between the two.
Christian holds a MBA from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and an MBA from Harvard Business School.