Bio

For 40 years I have been commanding military units from tactical via operational to the strategic level. My background in international military service and the personal network I have built over 10 years abroad, makes me appreciate other cultures and nationalities. Through national and international institutions at the master’s degree level I have studied leadership, administration and international relations as well as conducted study tours in Europe, North America and Asia. Key qualifications: Leadership at the strategic level in complex organisations under transformation. Ability to execute change and development at the management level. Develop goals and objectives with associated specific tasks together with my team. Sustainability in implementing changes with emphasis on stakeholder management. Operationalising strategies and goals. Experienced in using English as working language and from studies abroad. My experience includes seagoing duty for 10 years, most of them as Commanding Officer (Captain), serving as instructor and Deputy Director of the Norwegian Navy’s training establishment and the Deputy of the Norwegian Home Guard. Strategic and Long-term planning has always interested me, and I have directed the Plans department in the Defence Staff and been the Director in the Defence Policy and Long-Term Development department in the Ministery of Defence. My tours in NATO included overseeing strategic capability development looking out 15 years leading a team of 50 officers and scientists. My last position in uniform was as a Vice admiral and the Norwegian Military representative to NATO’s Military Committee, representing Norway and the Norwegian Chief of Defence. I’m currently engaged at Andøya Space in developing a launch complex in northern Norway to serve the growing market for small satellites in low-earth orbit. Building upon extensive experience in suborbital launch operations, the orbital launch capability will be offered from a new site on Island of Andøya, specifically selected to provide direct access to polar and sun-synchronous orbits.