Law Lord. Born in Leith, the son of ship-owner Christian Salvesen (1827 - 1911), Salvesen read law at the University of Edinburgh. He began working as an Advocate in the City, becoming a Queen's Counsel in 1899. In 1905, he was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland, but resigned shortly thereafter when appointed a Senator of the College of Justice.
Salvesen was the first President of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and, using his family's whaling boats, organised the shipping of penguins to Edinburgh Zoo.
He retired in 1922 and was appointed a Privy Councillor.