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, Axess Nordlaks Oppdrett, Nordlaks Smolt and Nordlaks produkter.  Broodstock Capital Partners, II and Norsk Landbrukskjemi. Deputy board chair of Entra Eiendom.

Attended 15 of 15 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2018.

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. 

CEO at VitalThings.

Senior positions at Norsk Hydro, Statoil, Reitan Group. CEO at Cresco (1998-2000) and Vital Forsikring (2001-2007). CEO Powel 2007-2018.

Attended 15 of 15 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2018.

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, Adolf Øiens Fond for almennyttige formål and Stiftelsen Karen og Adolf Øiens Aldershjem. Board member of Bachke & Co.

Attended 15 of 15 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2018.

Mette Kamsvåg (1971)

Business economist from the BI Norwegian School of Management (1994).

Board member since 2018. Member of the audit and risk committee as from 2018.

Self-employed. Fifteen years’ experience from IT and payment systems through various management positions with the Norwegian banks’ payment and clearing house (BBS) and NETS. CEO at NETS from 2011 to 2014.

Board chair at Maritech Systems AS and easy2you. Board member of VPS ASA (Norwegian securities depository) and SIVA (public funding agency for innovation).

Attended 10 of 11 meetings of the board of directors in 2018. 

Tonje Eskeland Foss (1971)

Post graduate degree in petroleum economics (1996)

Board member since 2018. Member of the remuneration committee as from 2018.

Regional Director, Nord, at Atea since March 2017. Nineteen years’ experience with the petroleum industry in the field of contracts and procurement, including with AkerBP ASA.

Previously board member of Det norske oljeselskap ASA (2012-2014) and BUE-stiftelsen (2007-2013).

Attended 11 of 11 meetings of the board of directors in 2018. 

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 & Operational Improvements 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 15 of 15 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2018.

Janne T. 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 15 of 15 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2018.

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 2014-2016. Board member for the employees from 2016. 

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

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

Attended 15 of 15 meetings of the Board of Directors in 2018.

Venche Jonsen (1952)

Varied education at Bankademiet and at university college level. 

Board member 2004-2016. 

Alternate member for the employees 2016 – March 2017. Permanent member for the employees from March 2017. 

Group employee representative at the Finance Sector Union branch at SpareBank 1 SMN. 32 years' experience in various positions with SpareBank 1 Midt-Norge. 

Attended 15 of 15 Board meetings in 2018.