Time for change

In June 2008, I had my last day at Heriot Watt University ??, and three days later I showed up at Norsk Hydro’s Offices at Kj?rbo, Sandvika ??. I started as a trainee in a company with a very bright future, aluminium prices expected to rise to USD 4,000 on Chinese import needs ??, and the potential for building significant smelter capacity in the world outside China to feed that demand ??.

The next 16 years, I got to experience the financial crisis ??, shortly after I started, working as a credit risk controller, an otherwise calm job, that quickly turned into one of the most developing roles in the company. I got to apply for my position as we had to cut staff costs by 30% in two rounds, and thankfully was chosen as one of the lucky ones who could stay ??.

I got to work with market risk, and be part of an energy trading team, delivering the strongest results the desk had ever delivered ??, but also being the trader on the desk which in the start, quickest brought his trading book into stop loss, and had to close his books for a while ??.

I got to develop significantly in Hydro’s investor relations function, learning every nut and bolt about the company on the inside, and to think like an investor, and build a network of lifelong relations within analysts and investors ??.

I got to lead the finance function in the heart of Hydro, Aluminium Metal, and work on pulling all levers to try and lift returns above our cost of capital in challenging markets ???, in addition to handling my share of crises, when we lost 50% of our alumina supply, or lead the IT task force, when we had our cyber attack ??.

And finally, I got to realize my ambition, well before I had foreseen, to lead the Global Finance organization in the amazing company, which is Norsk Hydro. This included running the corporate emergency team under the Covid 19 pandemic ??, being part of management team delivering TSR well above our peer group, and finally seeing aluminium prices above the USD 4,000 benchmark. I got to build up an amazing team, that I am immensely proud of today, and see the organization flourish and grow under their leadership ??.

Throughout this period, I had the honor of reporting to amazing leaders, from Kristine Dybwad, to J?rgen Melbye , to Rune Bru?ygard , to Rikard Lindquist to Eivind Kallevik and to finally, for the last 8 years, the person I have spent the most time with in my life, Hilde Merete Aasheim I have had 8 fantastic years supporting her on the fantastic journey she has taken Hydro through, and I am so grateful for how she has supported my development, and always been there for me over the years ??.

However, now it is time for a change ??. Now it is time for doing something different as a family ????????, now it is time for a new development, challenges and learning opportunities for all of us, as we have decided to pack up our bags and see what the world outside Hosle in Norway has to offer ??. And within the next 12 months, we will put our skis at our cabin ??, leave our winter jackets at home ??, put on our suncream and shorts and move to Dubai ????.

Hydro is a fantastic company, but there are also other companies that I respect in our industry, that want to build deep customer partnerships to grow the use of the metal of the future and embed sustainability in everything they do, and EGA is such a company ??. In due course, I will start as CFO in Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) , and join the team of Abdulnasser Bin Kalban , on their growth journey. I look greatly forward to meeting new colleagues, new stakeholders, new cultures, and new experiences for my daughters and wife ??.

And I will share much more about this going forward, but today is about reflecting on the journey that has been, and saying thank you for what has been so far ??.

But, until further notice, it is business as usual, and I will continue to do what I have done over the last 16 years, ensure that Hydro pioneers the green aluminium transition, and continues to develop industries that matter ??.