Louise Wachtmeister
Encyclopedia
Countess Louise Wachtmeister (born 1978) is a Swedish entrepreneur
, athlete, and political activist. She was President of the largest chapter of the Conservative Youth Party in Stockholm
for four years, and has held elected positions with the Stockholm City Hall
and Stockholm District Court. She is a silver and gold medalist in the Swedish National Track Championships, and in 2004 co-founded the social networking website ASMALLWORLD
with her husband Erik Wachtmeister
. Dubbed "MySpace
for millionaires" by the Wall Street Journal, the network is now in excess of 500,000 members.
. In her youth she became involved in political activism, and served as President of the largest chapter of the Conservative Youth Party in Stockholm
for four years. She also participated in two elections, including the election of Sweden's entry into the European Union
in 1994. She later held elected positions with the Stockholm City Hall
and Stockholm District Court. In 2001 Wachtmeister completed her master thesis
on branding
at the Stockholm School of Economics
(Handelshögskolan i Stockholm). In 2001-2002 Louie worked at the JKL Group, a leading PR company
in the Nordic region.
Louise was a silver and gold medalist in the 400 and 800 m Relay in the Swedish National Track Championships, where she competed under her maiden name Austern.
co-founded the social networking website ASMALLWORLD
. Louise served as Marketing Director and Director of Communications for the young company, and Erik served as CEO and Chairman. The website launched two years before Facebook
was made available to non-college members, and was dubbed "MySpace
for millionaires" by the Wall Street Journal. New members must receive an invitation from a pre-existing member with invitation privileges to be accepted. In July 2006, Wachtmeister and her husband hosted a 2nd anniversary party for the website at a private resident in Saint-Tropez
, with over 1000 guests from ASMALLWORLD present. As of September 2007, the site had 150,000 users, including Naomi Campbell
, Paris Hilton
, and Tiger Woods
. By May 2008, the number had grown to 320,000 members, with about 65% of members from Europe and 20% from the United States
. By April of 2010, the Wachtmeisters had ceased to be active with managing the website, and membership was in excess of 500,000.
She was named by Bon Magazine as one of 50 Swedes that were going to change the world.
. She has stated they are working on a new social website, which is rumored to be set for launch in the second half of 2011.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, athlete, and political activist. She was President of the largest chapter of the Conservative Youth Party in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
for four years, and has held elected positions with the Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall is the building of the Municipal Council for the City of Stockholm in Sweden. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island, next to Riddarfjärden's northern shore and facing the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It houses offices and conference rooms as well as...
and Stockholm District Court. She is a silver and gold medalist in the Swedish National Track Championships, and in 2004 co-founded the social networking website ASMALLWORLD
ASmallWorld
aSmallWorld is an on-line social network service similar to XING, and LinkedIn. It is an exclusive network with roughly 770,000 members that was founded by Erik and Louise Wachtmeister.-Features:...
with her husband Erik Wachtmeister
Erik Wachtmeister
Count Erik Wachtmeister is the founding chairman of ASMALLWORLD Holdings, Inc. The son of Swedish Ambassador Count Wilhelm Wachtmeister and Countess Ulla Wachtmeister, he earned a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in 1983...
. Dubbed "MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
for millionaires" by the Wall Street Journal, the network is now in excess of 500,000 members.
Early life, education
Louise Wachtmeister was born as Louise Austern in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. In her youth she became involved in political activism, and served as President of the largest chapter of the Conservative Youth Party in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
for four years. She also participated in two elections, including the election of Sweden's entry into the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in 1994. She later held elected positions with the Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall is the building of the Municipal Council for the City of Stockholm in Sweden. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island, next to Riddarfjärden's northern shore and facing the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It houses offices and conference rooms as well as...
and Stockholm District Court. In 2001 Wachtmeister completed her master thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
on branding
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
at the Stockholm School of Economics
Stockholm School of Economics
The Stockholm School of Economics or Handelshögskolan i Stockholm is one of Northern Europe's leading business schools. Its Masters in Management program is ranked no. 2 in Northern Europe and no. 13 in Europe by the Financial Times...
(Handelshögskolan i Stockholm). In 2001-2002 Louie worked at the JKL Group, a leading PR company
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
in the Nordic region.
Louise was a silver and gold medalist in the 400 and 800 m Relay in the Swedish National Track Championships, where she competed under her maiden name Austern.
ASMALLWORLD
In March of 2004, Louise and her husband Erik WachtmeisterErik Wachtmeister
Count Erik Wachtmeister is the founding chairman of ASMALLWORLD Holdings, Inc. The son of Swedish Ambassador Count Wilhelm Wachtmeister and Countess Ulla Wachtmeister, he earned a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in 1983...
co-founded the social networking website ASMALLWORLD
ASmallWorld
aSmallWorld is an on-line social network service similar to XING, and LinkedIn. It is an exclusive network with roughly 770,000 members that was founded by Erik and Louise Wachtmeister.-Features:...
. Louise served as Marketing Director and Director of Communications for the young company, and Erik served as CEO and Chairman. The website launched two years before Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
was made available to non-college members, and was dubbed "MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
for millionaires" by the Wall Street Journal. New members must receive an invitation from a pre-existing member with invitation privileges to be accepted. In July 2006, Wachtmeister and her husband hosted a 2nd anniversary party for the website at a private resident in Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez is a town, 104 km to the east of Marseille, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is also the principal town in the canton of Saint-Tropez....
, with over 1000 guests from ASMALLWORLD present. As of September 2007, the site had 150,000 users, including Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell is a British model. Scouted at the age of 15, she established herself among the top three most recognisable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and she was one of six models of her generation declared "supermodels" by the fashion world...
, Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
, and Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
. By May 2008, the number had grown to 320,000 members, with about 65% of members from Europe and 20% from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. By April of 2010, the Wachtmeisters had ceased to be active with managing the website, and membership was in excess of 500,000.
She was named by Bon Magazine as one of 50 Swedes that were going to change the world.
Personal life
Louise Wachtmeister is married to Count Erik WachtmeisterErik Wachtmeister
Count Erik Wachtmeister is the founding chairman of ASMALLWORLD Holdings, Inc. The son of Swedish Ambassador Count Wilhelm Wachtmeister and Countess Ulla Wachtmeister, he earned a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in 1983...
. She has stated they are working on a new social website, which is rumored to be set for launch in the second half of 2011.