Max Renning

**Children** | 2

**Maximilian Anders** "**Max**" **Renning** (born 13 January 1976) is a Reshan-Velkanian nonprofit executive, philanthropist, and the current spouse of the prime minister of the Velkanian Isles since 2014. He is married to the current prime minister Sif María Vilhjálmardattir.

Renning was born in Åkrenes, and attended public schooling until graduating with his upper secondary school diploma in 1995. Afterwards, he moved to Vadhelle to enroll in the University of Vadhelle, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Christian studies in 1998. After graduating, he began working at the nonprofit organization the Christian Help Fund of Resha (CHFR). In 1999, he moved to the Velkanian Isles and settled in Narísandur, where he found work at the nonprofit organization Angelfood. In 2015, he became the founder and president of the nonprofit organization the Christian Velkanian Fund (CVF).

## Early life and education

Renning was born on 13 January 1976 in Åkrenes to parents Anders Renning (born 1948) and Mathilde Drømme (born 1949). His father was a business executive, while his mother was a minister at their local church. The family were members of the Church of Resha, and Renning attended church multiple times a week growing up. He is the eldest of three children and only son; his younger sisters include Marie-Alexandra, born  (1978-05-01) 1 May 1978 (age 45), and Ingrid-Anne, born  (1980-10-19) 19 October 1980 (age 43).

Renning began his education in 1982, attending a local, public primary school in Åkrenes. While in primary school, Renning dreamed of becoming a minister like his mother, and was relatively unpopular in school due to his religious beliefs. He graduated in 1992, and afterwards enrolled in Åkrenes Gymnasium, where he studied a social studies and humanities program. He graduated with his upper secondary school diploma in 1995, and was one of only three *white tosken* during his school's *tosktimmen* celebrations, which he has stated he endured bullying and ridicule for. *White tosken* are students who do not engage in alcohol or drug consumption due to their religious beliefs. After graduating, he moved to Vadhelle to enroll in the Faculty of Theological Studies and World Religions at the University of Vadhelle, graduating with a degree in Christian studies in 1998.

## Nonprofit career and philanthropy

After graduating with his bachelor's degree in 1998, Renning started working at the nonprofit organization the Christian Help Fund of Resha (CHFR), as a coordinator in the organization's alumni affairs department. The organization's mission was to provide assistance to the less fortunate in Resha, often working with immigrants and refugees. It was affiliated with the Church of Resha. He left the organization after moving to the Velkanian Isles in 1999.

After settling in Narísandur in 1999, Renning was hired at the nonprofit organization Angelfood. A secular organization, Angelfood's mission was to provide free meals to lower-income individuals in the Velkanian Isles, primarily helping the homeless, refugees, and immigrants. Upon his hiring, Renning worked as a program coordinator. He was promoted to program director in 2006, and joined the executive board in 2011. Renning left Angelfood in 2015, in order to found his own nonprofit organization the Christian Velkanian Fund (CVF). The organization was a nondenominational Christian organization, which provided assistance to the less fortunate in the Velkanian Isles, primarily immigrants and refugees. Since its founding, Renning has served as its chairman and president.

In addition to his work with nonprofits, Renning is also a noted philanthropist. Since 2002, he has donated more than $200,000 to various charities and organizations throughout the world, often Christian organizations, advocating for providing help to the less fortunate.

## Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Velkanian Isles

Renning became the spouse of the prime minister of the Velkanian Isles on 30 March 2014, succeeding Ísbjörg Ósk Kristfinnardattir. Upon assuming the role, he became the fourth man to hold the title of spouse of the prime minister, and the first to be an immigrant to the Velkanian Isles and a naturalized citizen. The position is an honorary and unofficial one, with no clear duties besides accompanying the prime minister to official events. In the role, Renning assists his wife in greeting foreign dignitaries to the Velkanian Isles, and making international state visits.

He is not considered the "first gentleman" as he would be in other countries, as the prime minister is not the head of state. There is no "first spouse" role in the Velkanian Isles, as the spouse of the head of state is the royal consort.

## Personal life

Renning began a relationship with Velkanian nonprofit employee Sif María Vilhjálmardattir in 1996, while they were both students at the University of Vadhelle. They became engaged after six months of dating, and later married in 1998, one month after their graduation. The family resided in Vadhelle for one year after graduating, but ultimately decided they preferred to raise their children in the Velkanian Isles, moving to Narísandur in March 1999. They have two children together: Finnbjörn Þór, born  (1999-07-09) 9 July 1999 (age 24), and Dröfn Kolfinna, born  (2001-05-01) 1 May 2001 (age 22). The family resided in the Þórlákstaður neighborhood of Narísandur until moving into Garðaröst in 2014.

Renning has been a member of the Church of Resha since his birth. While he remains a member of the church, he attends weekly religious services at a branch of the Church of Framland in Narísandur, and his two children were raised in the Church of Framland as well. Due to his religious beliefs, he abstains from alcohol. He is fluent in Reshan, Framish, Ditrovian, and Velkanian. Upon his first introduction to the Velkanian public in 2013, he spoke fluently in Velkanian, which commentators stated greatly increased his popularity in the country. Since first moving to the Velkanian Isles in 1999, he attended language classes twice a week for several years. Renning is a dual citizen of Resha and the Velkanian Isles, having naturalized as a Velkanian citizen through his marriage in 2006. While he is a Velkanian citizen and does vote in elections, he is not registered with his wife's party the Liberal-Conservatives.

Since at least 2012, Renning has been close friends with Hans Vleckings, the husband of Ragnhildur II. The media has reported that the two frequently have lunch breaks, family dinners, and "guys' nights" together, while their wives are also similarly close friends. In 2018, it was confirmed by the House of Ásthildur that The Crown Princess was in a romantic relationship with Renning's son Finnbjörn.