Board of Directors

Kjell Bjordal (1953) Board chair

Business economist from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration NHH (1976), law studies and Advanced Management Program at Wharton Business School (1989).

Board member since 2007 and board chair since 2013. Member of the remuneration committee since 2012 and committee chair since 2013. 

Self-employed. 

Experience as CEO of EWOS Group and head of Cermaq’s fish food division. CEO of NorAqua, finance director and CEO of the Glamox Group and director at Trøndelag Theatre.

Board chairman of Axess, Nordlaks, Broodstock Capital Partners, Brødrene Dyrøy and Norsk Landbrukskjemi. Deputy board chair of Entra Eiendom and board member of Florvaag Bruk Holding.

Attended 16 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Bård Benum (1962) Deputy board chair

Graduate of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (1987).

Board member since March 2009, and deputy chair since 2013. Member of the internal audit committee since 2009 and member of the risk committee since 2013.

Group CEO at Powel.

Senior positions at Norsk Hydro, Statoil, Reitan Group. CEO at Cresco (1998-2000) and Vital Forsikring (2001-2007).

 Attended 14 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Paul E. Hjelm-Hansen (1962)

MBA from the University of Denver, USA (1988), Certified European Financial Analyst (AFA) from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (1996) and Authorised Portfolio Manager (Norwegian Society of Financial Analysts/Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration) (2001).

Board member and chairman of the internal audit committee since 2008. Head of the risk committee since 2013.

Private investor and self-employed financial adviser.

Has held positions as financial analyst, as portfolio manager at Christiania Bank og Kreditkasse and Fokus Bank and as head of finance and finance director at, respectively, Bachke & Co and Det norske oljeselskap.

Chairman of Arild og Emilie Bachkes Fond, Trondhjems Kunstforenings legatstyre and

Generalkonsul Adolf Øiens Donationsfond. Board member of Bachke & Co.

Attended 16 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016. 

Arnhild Holstad (1963)

Cand.mag. degree and journalist.

Board member since 2010.

Chief executive officer, Namsos municipality.

Communication manager at Statskog (2007-2015). Political adviser at the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (2005-2007). Project manager at Olav Duun Innovasjon (2003-2005). Journalist with the Namdalsavisa newspaper (1991-2003). Refugee advisor, Aukra municipality (1988-1989). Teacher at Oppegård upper secondary school (1987-1988).

Board member of NTE Holding.

Attended 15 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Aud Skrudland (1959)

Veterinary doctor, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (1984). Specialist in fish diseases. Additional training in marketing and public law.

Board member since 2010. Member of the remuneration committee since 2012.

Special inspector on the staff of the director of the mid-Norway region, Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Experience from the fish farming industry in the fields of fish health and product development, marketing and sale of medicinal products for fish.

Chair of the programme committee on aquaculture at the Research Council of Norway. Former member of the Averøy municipal council and municipal executive board, the board of directors of Romsdals Fellesbank and the control committee and the supervisory board of SpareBank 1 SMN.

Attended 15 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Morten Loktu (1960)

Master of Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (1984).

Board member since 2013. Member of the remuneration committee since 2013.

Senior Vice President with responsibility for LEAN at Statoil.

Joined Statoil in 1985 and has held various posts including in research and development.

Executive director in charge of Statoil’s technology organisation (2000-2002). Senior Vice President, research and development at Statoil (2005-2010). Area director, Statoil’s production and development activity off Mid-Norway and North Norway (2011-2016).

Group CEO, SINTEF Group (2002-2004).

Attended 13 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Janne Thyø Thomsen (1957)

Cand. Jur. (law) degree, University of Copenhagen (1981). Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, Copenhagen Business School (1986).   

Board member since 2014. Member of the audit and risk committee since 2014.

Consultant and owner at JT Targeting in Denmark. Previously senior vice president at Moody’s rating agency (1997–2012). Prior to that with Yamaichi International (Europe) Limited (1987–1995), with the Ministry of Finance, Government Debt Office (1984–1987) and with the Export Credit Council, Ministry of Industry (1981–1984).

Attended 16 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Erik Gunnes (1966)

Three-year business school. Bank-related training at Bankakademiet and BI Norwegian Business School.

Regularly attending alternate member for the employees since 2014. Board member for the employees from 2016.

21 years’ experience in various positions with SpareBank 1 SMN.

Board member of the Finance Sector Union in Trøndelag (2010–2012).

Attended 16 of 16 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Oddny Lysberg (1973)

Commercial line, Nauma Upper Secondary School 1990-1992. Business administration, one-year course at Nord-Trøndelag University College, Steinkjer (2001).

Board member since 2016.

Joined SpareBank 1 SMN in 2002 as a substitute, permanent staff member from 2004. Elected officer since 2006. Board positions in several local clubs and associations. Elected to the Grong municipal council and municipal executive board, autumn 2015.

Attended 11 of 11 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2016.