Norwegian resistance fighter, Consul, businessman, and aircraft broker. During WW II he was an agent of the Special Operations Executive. Together with other SOE agents he took part in the sabotage mission “Operasjon Mardonius,” in 1943, involving the sinking of German military ships in the harbour of Oslo, of which a consquence was that he had to flee to Sweden, later ending up in Canada and Little Norway, where he was trained as a Spitfire pilot.
After the war he served as honorary Consul of Norway in Rome and was Olympic Attaché of the Norwegian Team at the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics. In 1956 Riis married Amelia Olsen, daughter of shipowner Kristoffer Olsen sr., founder of the Olsen & Ugelstad shipping company.
He was responsible for the Italian branch of the Norwegian airline Braathens, but soon started his own company, the E. Riis & Company, acting as legal representative for hundreds of international air carriers flying into Italy, handling traffic rights, organizing cargo and passenger charters, as well as sale and purchase of large transport category aircraft.
In the 1970s Riis and his wife became embroiled in a long civil case regarding an inheritance dispute between Amelia and her brother. In 2001 the Oslo District Court awarded Riis 10 million Norwegian krone (approx. $1 mill.), the largest indemnity of this kind ever granted in Norway. With interest, the total award was at 43 million krone (approx. $5 mill.).
In 1961 Riis was appointed Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
Riis died on 30 May 2006 in Arvika, Sweden. He was 83.
Link to Wikipedia biography