Kristin Skogen Lund appointed new head of NHO

Kristin Skogen Lund is currently EVP of Telenor and Head of Digital Services and Broadcast. She has been NHO’s President since April 2010. During the period 2008-2010, she was Vice President of NHO.

Through these posts, she has gained thorough knowledge of NHO. Skogen Lund is an experienced  industry leader. As EVP of Telenor, she has been responsible for the group’s activities in the Nordic region and within Digital Services & Broadcast. She has previously been CEO and Commercial Director of Aftenposten (Norway’s leading daily), CEO of Scanpix Scandinavia and CEO and Editor of Scandinavia Online, as well as holding various managerial posts within Unilever and Coca-Cola.

Bigger and stronger

"NHO has a duty in Norwegian society to ensure the interests of business, and I am really looking forward to head up that task.  As President and Vice President of NHO, I have gotten to know the organisation well which is a strenght in taking on this job. I also know the potential of the organisation; we are knowledgable and influential.  I will strive to bring about an even bigger and stronger NHO, and fight for the interests of our 21,000 member businesses,” says Skogen Lund.

The recruitment process  

When it became known that John G. Bernander had resigned from his position, NHO’s board appointment a committee repsonsible for recruiting the new Director General consisting of Kristin Skogen Lund, Vice President Heine Wang and board member Egil Olsvik. The global executive search and assessment firm Russell Reynolds Associates was chosen to assist this process and started their work early July. They spent the summer interviewing a large number of external and internal stakeholders. The consistent feedback was that Kristin Skogen Lund was the preferred candidate. Given strong support for Skogen Lund to take up the position, she was urged to be a candidate. On 26 August  she therefore withdrew from the appointment committee, before the assessment of candidates began, in order to be eligible herself.  The appointment committee then had a list of strong candidates, inclusive Kristin Skogen Lund.  The process has since Skogen Lund withdrew from the appointment committee been led by the Vice President, together with board member Egil Olsvik. They have presented their assessment and recommendations to NHO’s board. During its meeting yesterday, the board voted unanimously to appoint Skogen Lund. “We are pleased to announce that Kristin Skogen Lund has accepted the position and will take up the role of Director General of NHO on the 1^st of  November,” said Heine Wang, chair of the appointment committee.

Wang appointed new NHO President  

According to the articles of association, the Vice President must take over the role if the President vacates his or her position in the middle of an election period. Heine Wang is currently CEO of Nokas AS and a qualified lawyer, and has many years of experience as an elected representative within NHO, NHO-Service and NHO-Vestfold.

“Ever since I was in the start-up phase of my business, I have thoroughly enjoyed my membership of  NHO. I want even more members to experience the security of having a strong employers’ organisation behind them,” says Wang.

The board has agreed that John G. Bernander will be released from his duties and will be able to take up the position as CEO of Viking Heat Engines AS as of Wednesday 13 September. Until Skogen Lund is in place, Petter Haas Brubakk,  Executive Director for
Economic and Industrial Policy, will act as Director General.

 

 

Press conference

In connection with the new appointments, NHO will hold a press conference at Næringslivets Hus, Middelthunsgate 27, 0303 Oslo at 11.00 am on 10 September 2012. President Heine Wang, board member Egil Olsvik and the next NHO Director General Kristin Skogen Lund will attend. There will be an opportunity for separate interviews with all the new appointees after the press conference.

The press meeting will be streamed and can be followed here: http://webtv.hegnar.no/webcast.php?id=77287

For more information, contact:
NHO’s press line, tel. 480 22 800

or

Director of Information Rune Nøstvik
Tel.: 916 70 452 / E-mail: rune.nostvik@nho.no

Executive Director for Communications Elisabeth Evjen
Tel.: 41 27 00 00 / E-mail: elisabeth.evjen@nho.no

http://www5.nho.no/download/skogen_lund.jpg (Foto: Hans Fredrik Asbjørnsen)

http://www5.nho.no/download/Heine_wang.jpg (Foto: Dag G. Nordsveen)