{{Short description|London-based Norwegian designer and shipping heiress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Cecilie Alexandra Pontine Paus | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 15 June 1973 | birth_place = [[Athens]], Greece | other_names = | occupation = Designer and businesswoman | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | partner = }} '''Cecilie Alexandra Pontine Paus''' (born 15 June 1973) is a London-based Norwegian designer and shipping heiress. A member of the billionaire Wilhelmsen family on her mother's side, she is one of the owners of [[Wilh. Wilhelmsen]], one of the world's largest shipping companies. She is known for designing [[handbags]] sold under her label House of Paus, and was described by ''[[Vogue (British magazine)|Vogue]]'' in the early 2000s as the "hottest new name in handbags".<ref name="vogue" /> She is the founder of the beauty brand Dr.Lipp.
==Background== Pontine Paus was born to Norwegian parents in [[Athens]], [[Greece]], in 1973, and moved to London in 1979. A member of the [[Paus family]] on her father's side and the billionaire [[Wilh. Wilhelmsen|Wilhelmsen family]] on her mother's side, she is the eldest daughter of the London-based shipping and petroleum investor [[Christopher Paus (businessman)|Christopher Paus]] and [[Cecilie Paus]] (née Wilhelmsen).{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} Her father is the son of the steel industrialist [[Per Paus]] and Countess Hedevig [[Wedel-Jarlsberg]], whose father was [[Lord Chamberlain]] [[Peder Anker Wedel-Jarlsberg]]. Her mother belongs to the Wilhelmsen shipping family and has owned [[Wilh. Wilhelmsen]] with her siblings since 1978.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} Pontine Paus' maternal grandfather was shipping magnate [[Tom Wilhelmsen (shipping magnate)|Tom Wilhelmsen]]. She is a Norwegian citizen, but has lived all her life in Greece and England. Her sister Olympia is married to [[Alexander Nix]].<ref name="dagbladet">{{cite web|url=https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/alexander-nix-norske-kone-er-rederarving-og-star-midt-i-facebook-skandalen/69689638|title=Alexander Nix' norske kone er rederarving|trans-title=Alexander Nix' Norwegian wife is a shipping heiress|work=[[Dagbladet]]|date=16 April 2018 |language=no}}</ref>
==Career==
She attended [[Marlborough College]], an independent boarding school in Wiltshire, and later studied industrial design in [[Milan]] before turning to fashion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ldnfashion.com/interviews/pontine-paus-designer-entrepreneur/|title=My London: Pontine Paus – Designer and entrepreneur – LDNfashion|website=ldnfashion.com|date=30 March 2017 |accessdate=29 April 2019}}</ref>
As a designer, Paus is known for handbags, as the owner of the House of Paus fashion label. She was called by ''[[Vogue (British magazine)|Vogue]]'' as the "hottest new name in handbags" in 2003.<ref name="vogue">{{cite web|url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2003/11/21/bags-of-style|title=BAGS OF STYLE|last=Vogue|date=21 November 2003 |accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref> Customers have included [[Kylie Minogue]], [[Queen Silvia of Sweden]] and [[Queen Sonja of Norway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article1057364.ece|title=En håndfull vesker|publisher=Aftenposten.no|author=Wenche Fuglehaug|accessdate=23 April 2012}}</ref> In Norway, her handbags are sold by [[Benedikte Ferner]] who cites Pontine Paus as her favourite handbag designer,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/article720999.ece|title=Ville vesker|publisher=Aftenposten.no|author=Kaja Korsvold|accessdate=23 April 2012}}</ref> and UK outlets include Paul & Joe, Ananya and Mirage.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-148586169|title=Planet FASHION|date=24 July 2006|accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref> Her other business endeavours include beauty brand Dr.Lipp which she founded after experiencing eczema earlier in life.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Care |first=Body Care Skin |title=Dr. Lipp releases first product in 14 years |url=https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/dr-lipp-releases-first-product-in-14-years--146863 |access-date=2025-12-28 |website=cosmeticsbusiness.com |language=en}}</ref>
She is one of the main owners of [[Wilh. Wilhelmsen]]; her family combined owns over 60% of the company's shares and additionally several billion in other companies.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dn.no/marked/wilhelmsen/thomas-wilhelmsen/toluma/wilhelmsen-opprorere-har-milliarder-last-i-familiens-egen-pengebinge/2-1-757570 |title=Wilhelmsen-opprørere har milliarder låst i familiens egen pengebinge |date=18 February 2020|website=[[Dagens Næringsliv]]}}</ref> In 2020 her family branch launched a battle for control over the family's main holding company, due to the fact that her cousin [[Thomas Wilhelmsen]] holds the only vote in the company although the female family members own the majority of the shares.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_dagensnaeringsliv_null_null_20200215_131_39_1 |title=Familieopprør i rederiet |date=15 February 2020|website=[[Dagens Næringsliv]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://finansavisen.no/nyheter/shipping/2020/02/09/7496120/familieoppror-i-wilh.-wilhelmsen-femte-generasjon-vil-fornye-eierstruktur-og-styringsmodell |title=Familieopprør i Wilh. Wilhelmsen, femte generasjon vil fornye eierstruktur og styringsmodell |date=9 February 2020|website=Finansavisen }}</ref> Together with other family members she was also a major shareholder of [[Scorpion Offshore]] until it was bought by [[John Fredriksen]]'s [[Seadrill]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dn.no/forsiden/borsMarked/article720236.ece|title=Styremedlem hamstrer i Scorpion|date=16 February 2006|publisher=DN.no|author=TDN Finans|accessdate=23 April 2012}}</ref>
==Personal life== She was in a relationship with [[Harry Primrose, 8th Earl of Rosebery]], the chairman of [[Sotheby's]].<ref name="tatler">{{cite web|url=https://www.tatler.com/article/cambridge-analytica-brexit-and-trump|title=Who has the real power?|work=[[Tatler]]|date=29 March 2018 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.pontinepaus.com Official website]
{{Paus family}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paus, Pontine}} [[Category:Norwegian fashion designers]] [[Category:Norwegian women fashion designers]] [[Category:Paus family|Pontine]] [[Category:Wedel-Jarlsberg family]] [[Category:Wilhelmsen family]] [[Category:People educated at Marlborough College]] [[Category:1973 births]] [[Category:Living people]]