Carl Frederik Tietgen (19 March 1829 – 19 October 1901) was a Danish financier and industrialist. He played an important role in the industrialisation of Denmark as the founder of numerous prominent Danish companies, many of which are still in operation today. Tietgen notably formed conglomerates, thus several of Tietgen's companies attained monopoly-like status, cementing their durability. Tietgen was a dedicated Grundtvigian, and financed the completion of the Marble Church at his own expense. Early life and career Tietgen was born on 19 March 1829 in Odense, the son of a social club manager catering to the local bourgeoisie. He helped his family out at the club throughout his childhood. After finishing his commercial apprenticeship, he worked in the United Kingdom for five years, and settled in Manchester, England. During that time he also traveled to northern Germany, Norway and Sweden. In the United Kingdom Tietgen gained experience in private banking, which at that time in Denmark was an industry still in its infancy. Career at Privatbanken Upon returning to Denmark Tietgen founded a wholesale business, C.F. Tietgen & Co., at Copenhagen’s Amagertorv in 1855, and later relocated it to Gammeltorv Market. In spite of the office impressive locations, the business was a modest sole proprietorship, dealing primarily as an agent between business connections in Manchester and Copenhagen. In 1857 after his involvement as curator in a bankruptcy had demonstrated a remarkable eye for economy and strategic thinking, he was invited to join the management of which under him developed into Denmark's first investment bank. In the span of four decades as head of , Tietgen created and consolidated a large number of companies, and gained control of major companies in several industrial sectors. In the transportation industry Tietgen developed several railroads, capitalized Burmeister & Wain as well as Svitzer in 1872. He created Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab as a merger of several smaller operators and in 1880 founded Thingvalla Line. Tietgen created several companies in the telegraph and telecommunications sector. He founded Det Store Nordiske Telegraf-Selskab in 1868, and with the arrival of the telephone KTAS was founded in 1880. In 1872 Tietgen formed De Danske Sukkerfabrikker as a merger of several sugar refineries. In 1873 followed the cofounding of the Tuborg brewery and the consolidation of several smaller coffee substitute companies forming . In 1881 several smaller distillers were merged to form De Danske Spritfabrikker and in 1891 the