Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt’s glowing tribute to deceased shipping magnate Mærsk McKinney Møller as ‘one of Denmark’s greatest citizens of modern times....who with his enthusiastic commitment to Danish culture and uniqueness left an indelible mark on Danish society’ was matched by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister from 2001 to 2009, who characterised him as a ‘colossus of the Danish business sector’.
“Not just in terms of finance but also as a business leader whose international company was forever linked to his own unconditional love for Denmark,” said the NATO boss. “There’s no doubt that the name of Mærsk is a major asset for the country and Mærsk McKinney Møller has been an inspiration for many business leaders in Denmark.”
The former PM also emphasised the billionaire’s admiration for the USA. “He believed very strongly that Denmark and the rest of Europe were in debt to the Americans because they have come to our rescue on a number of occasions and liberated us from tyranny and dictatorship. It pervaded his thinking and that’s why he was always willing tolend a helping hand when the US came calling.”
Former US Ambassador to Denmark, James P. Cain, a personal friend and self-confessed 'great admirer' of McKinney Møller sent his 'heartfelt' thanks, both on behalf of himself and the USA In a statement he wrote:
"America should be profoundly grateful for the life and contributions of Mærsk McKinney Møller. Maersk did as much to protect and defend the liberties we cherish as any individual of the second half of the 20th Century. From defying Adolf Hitler and ordering his ships to Allied ports when Hitler invaded Denmark in 1940, to transporting American troops and material across the oceans for every major conflict since then, Maersk McKinney Moeller, and the great company that bears his family name, has been one of America's strongest friends of the last century.”