Background
He was born in Notodden as a son of chief administrative officer Peder Olaus Holte (1875–1943) and Lorentze Indorff (1890-1819).
He was born in Notodden as a son of chief administrative officer Peder Olaus Holte (1875–1943) and Lorentze Indorff (1890-1819).
He graduated in chemistry from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1938.
He was hired in Norsk Hydro in 1948 as head of their Notodden department. He advanced to become director of research from 1957 to 1964 and assisting director-general from 1964 to 1966. In 1967 he was hired as director-general (Chief Executive Officer).
He stayed in this position until 1977.
After this he was chairman of the board from 1977 to 1985. He was a fellow of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters]
He also chaired Kværner, Standard Telefon og Kabelfabrik and Sør-Norge Aluminium, was a board member of the Norwegian Employers" Confederation, Alnor, International Business Machines Corporation in Norway, Dyno Industrier and Vannlinjen, and a supervisory council member of Borregaard, Elektrokemisk, AS Vestheim and Skips-AS Nordheim.
Married Eva Bulletin.