61 Notable Alumni of the Norwegian School of Economics

Jo Nesbø

Born in: Norway
Years: 1960-.. (age 66)
Occupations: novelistwritereconomistexecutive producerscreenwriter
Biography: Jon "Jo" Nesbø is a Norwegian novelist and musician. His books had sold over 50 million copies worldwide by 2021, making him the most successful Norwegian author to date. He first came to prominence as the singer, rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter of country-pop band Di Derre, when their second album became a big hit in Norway, almost selling enough to make double platinum. The album was initially titled Kvinner & Klær (Women & Clothing), but had to be renamed and re-released as Jenter & Sånt (Girls & Stuff) after the eponymous Norwegian women's fashion magazine filed a complaint.

Siv Jensen

Born in: Norway
Years: 1969-.. (age 57)
Occupations: freelancereconomistpolitician
Biography: Siv Jensen is a Norwegian politician who served as the leader of the Progress Party from 2006 to 2021. She also held the position as Minister of Finance from 2013 to 2020 in the Solberg Cabinet. She was also a member of the Norwegian parliament from Oslo from 1997 to 2021.

Helge Lund

Born in: Norway
Years: 1962-.. (age 64)
Occupations: entrepreneurchief executive officer
Biography: Helge Lund is a Norwegian businessman who has been chairman of BP since January 2019 and chairman of the Danish healthcare company Novo Nordisk since 2018. He is the former chief executive of BG Group, Statoil and Aker Kværner, and was a director of Schlumberger from June 2016 to April 2018.

Knut Arild Hareide

Born in: Norway
Years: 1972-.. (age 54)
Occupations: businesspersonpolitician
Biography: Knut Arild Hareide is a Norwegian politician who served as a member of parliament from Hordaland and as the leader of the Christian Democratic Party from 2011 to 2019. He served as Minister of Transport and Communications from 2020 to 2021, and as Minister of the Environment from 2004 to 2005 in the second Bondevik cabinet. In 2007, he announced he would step down from the national political scene for the time being, but he returned when he was nominated as the top candidate for the Christian Democratic Party ticket in Akershus in the 2009 election where he won the county's leveling seat. After Dagfinn Høybråten stepped down as party leader, Hareide was unanimously elected to take his place at the 2011 party convention. In the 2013 election, Hareide was reelected to parliament, this time from his home county of Hordaland.

Finn E. Kydland

Born in: Norway
Years: 1943-.. (age 83)
Occupations: economistscientistprofessoruniversity teacher
Biography: Finn Erling Kydland is a Norwegian economist known for his contributions to business cycle theory. He is the Henley Professor of Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also holds the Richard P. Simmons Distinguished Professorship at the Tepper School of Business of Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned his PhD, and a part-time position at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). Kydland was a co-recipient of the 2004 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, with Edward C. Prescott, "for their contributions to dynamic macroeconomics: the time consistency of economic policy and the driving forces behind business cycles."

Terje Søviknes

Born in: Norway
Years: 1969-.. (age 57)
Occupations: engineerpolitician
Biography: Terje Søviknes is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party who has served as the mayor of Bjørnafjorden Municipality since 2023. He previously served as minister of petroleum and energy from December 2016 to August 2018. From December 2019 to January 2020 he was the minister of the elderly and public health. He also serves as the party's second deputy leader since 2019, a post he previously held from 1999 to 2001.

Julie Brodtkorb

Born in: Norway
Years: 1974-.. (age 52)
Occupations: public relations executivebusinesspersonpolitician
Biography: Julie Brodtkorb, formerly married Voldberg is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.

Per-Willy Amundsen

Born in: Norway
Years: 1971-.. (age 55)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Per-Willy Trudvang Amundsen is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party who served as Minister of Justice from December 2016 to January 2018. He previously served as state secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development from 2013, and represented Troms in the Norwegian parliament from 2005 until 2013. He was re-elected in 2017.

Agnar Mykle

Born in: Norway
Years: 1915-1994 (aged 79)
Occupations: writerpuppeteer
Biography: Agnar Mykle was a Norwegian author. He became one of the most controversial figures in Norwegian literature in the 20th century.

Kristin Clemet

Born in: Norway
Years: 1957-.. (age 69)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Kristin Clemet is a Norwegian politician for Høyre, Norway's Conservative Party.

Anne Lindboe

Born in: Norway
Years: 1971-.. (age 55)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: Studied in 2007-2009
Occupations: local politicianpediatrician
Biography: Anne Lindboe is a Norwegian politician and paediatrician, who is currently serving as the mayor of Oslo since 2023. She previously served as the Norwegian Children's Ombudsman from 2012 to 2018.

Yngve Slyngstad

Born in: Norway
Years: 1962-.. (age 64)
Occupations: chief executive officereconomist
Biography: Yngve Slyngstad was the former CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) which is the part of the Norwegian Central Bank that is responsible for managing The Government Pension Fund - Global. In 2021 he was appointed as the CEO and senior partner of Aker Asset Management (AAM).

Christine B. Meyer

Born in: Norway
Years: 1964-.. (age 62)
Occupations: politicianresearcher
Biography: Christine Benedichte Meyer is a Norwegian business administration academic, politician for the Conservative Party and civil servant. She currently serves as the Chief Commissioner of Bergen since 2023.

Kristin Krohn Devold

Born in: Norway
Years: 1961-.. (age 65)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Kristin Krohn Devold is a former Minister of Defence of Norway. She was elected to three terms in the Norwegian Parliament from Oslo as a representative for Conservative Party.

Arild Hermstad

Born in: Norway
Years: 1966-.. (age 60)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Arild Hermstad is a Norwegian politician for the Green Party, who has served as the party leader since 2022. He previously served as Party spokesperson, alongside Une Bastholm, from 2018 to 2020, and then the deputy leader from 2020 to 2022.

Christian Syse

Born in: Norway
Years: 1962-.. (age 64)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Christian Syse is a Norwegian civil servant and diplomat.

Eldar Sætre

Born in: Norway
Years: 1956-.. (age 70)
Occupations: business executive
Biography: Eldar Sætre is a Norwegian businessman who since February 2015 is CEO of Equinor, holding the position interim from October 2014.

Knut Vollebæk

Born in: Norway
Years: 1946-.. (age 80)
Occupations: diplomatpolitician
Biography: Knut Vollebæk is a Norwegian former diplomat and politician. A member of the Christian Democratic Party, he served as ambassador to the United States from 2001 to 2007. He is currently a member of the International Commission on Missing Persons Board of Commissioners and heads a government commission investigating the situation of Norwegian Travellers.

Trine Eilertsen

Born in: Norway
Years: 1969-.. (age 57)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: Studied in 1996
Occupations: journalistbusiness undergraduateediting staffpolitical scientist
Biography: Trine Eilertsen is a Norwegian journalist and newspaper editor. She is the current editor-in-chief of the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten.

Torstein Dahle

Born in: Norway
Years: 1947-.. (age 79)
Occupations: politicianeconomist
Biography: Torstein Dahle is a Norwegian politician and economist. He works at the Bergen University College and represents Red Party in the city council of Bergen. Dahle was born in Oslo.

Andreas Bjelland Eriksen

Years: 1992-.. (age 34)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: Studied in 2017
Occupations: politician
Biography: Andreas Bjelland Eriksen is a Norwegian economist and politician for the Labour Party. He has served as the Minister of Climate and the Environment since October 2023 and a member of the Storting for Rogaland since 2025. He previously served as a state secretary from 2021 to 2023.

Jon Fredrik Baksaas

Born in: Norway
Years: 1954-.. (age 72)
Occupations: entrepreneur
Biography: Jon Fredrik Baksaas was the Chairman of the GSMA until 2016, and CEO of Telenor until August 2015. He now serves as a special adviser to the telecommunications company's Group Executive Management team.

Arve Johnsen

Born in: Norway
Years: 1934-2023 (aged 89)
Occupations: industrial leaderpolitician
Biography: Arve Johnsen was a Norwegian industrial executive and politician.

Sigrun Vågeng

Born in: Norway
Years: 1950-.. (age 76)
Occupations: civil servant
Biography: Sigrun Elisabeth Vågeng is a Norwegian public sector official. From 2015 to 2020 she was director of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.

Alexandra Beverfjord

Born in: Norway
Years: 1977-.. (age 49)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: 2017-2018 graduated with Master of Business Administration
Occupations: authorbusiness undergraduateediting staffdirectorjournalist
Biography: Alexandra Beverfjord is a Norwegian journalist, crime fiction writer, newspaper editor and media executive. She was editor-in-chief of the newspaper Dagbladet from 2018 to 2023.

Boye Brogeland

Years: 1973-.. (age 53)
Occupations: bridge player
Biography: Boye Brogeland is a Norwegian professional bridge player. After a successful junior career, he won three Bermuda Bowl medals with the Norwegian team, including the gold in Shanghai 2007, and several North American Bridge Championships. He came into public focus in 2015 when he led a campaign against cheating in bridge, exposing wrongdoing by several top pairs, for which he received public recognition.

Mudassar Kapur

Born in: Norway
Years: 1976-.. (age 50)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Mudassar Hussain Kapur is a Norwegian politician. He is a member of the Conservative Party and has served as a member of the Storting for Oslo since 2013.

Daniel Skjeldam

Years: 1975-.. (age 51)
Occupations: businessperson
Biography: Daniel Andreas Skjeldam is a Norwegian business leader and the former chief executive officer of Hurtigruten.

Roger Valhammer

Years: 1984-.. (age 42)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: Studied in 2012-2013
Occupations: politician
Biography: Roger Valhammer is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He served as chief commissioner of Bergen from 2019 to 2022, and previously served as city commissioner for schools, kindergartens and sports between 2018 and 2019.

Harald Norvik

Born in: Norway
Years: 1946-.. (age 80)
Occupations: businessperson
Biography: Harald Norvik is a former chairman, president, and chief executive of Norwegian oil firm Statoil, a former chairman of telecommunications company Telenor and a director of ConocoPhillips.

Svein Aaser

Born in: Norway
Years: 1946-.. (age 80)
Occupations: entrepreneurbanker
Biography: Svein Aaser is a former CEO of DnB NOR, the largest financial group in Norway. He resigned on 31 December 2006. He is chair of FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2011 and the National Gallery of Norway

Idar Kreutzer

Years: 1962-.. (age 64)
Occupations: businesspersonchief executive officer
Biography: Idar Kreutzer is a Norwegian businessperson.

Henning Warloe

Born in: Norway
Years: 1961-.. (age 65)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: Studied in 1982-1986
Occupations: politicianbusinesspersonillusionist
Biography: Henning Warloe is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party who served as a member of parliament for Hordaland between 2009 and 2013. A native of Bergen, he sat in the municipal government between 2003 and 2009 before making a return between 2014 and 2015.

Olav Fjell

Years: 1951-.. (age 75)
Occupations: chief executive officer
Biography: Olav Fjell is a Norwegian businessperson. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Statoil from 1999 to 2003, and of Hurtigruten from 2007 to 2012.

Helge Orten

Born in: Norway
Years: 1966-.. (age 60)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: Graduated with siviløkonom
Occupations: businesspersonpolitician
Biography: Helge Orten is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.

Peter Skovholt Gitmark

Born in: Norway
Years: 1977-.. (age 49)
Enrolled in the Norwegian School of Economics: 1998-2003 graduated with siviløkonom
Occupations: public relations executivebusinesspersoncommunications adviserpolitician
Biography: Peter Skovholt Gitmark is a Norwegian politician representing the Conservative Party. He is currently a representative of Vest-Agder in the Storting, first elected in 2005. He was elected a reserve candidate in the previous period, but took Ansgar Gabrielsen's place when Gabrielsen was a cabinet minister.

Dag Mejdell

Years: 1957-.. (age 69)
Occupations: businessperson
Biography: Dag Mejdell is a Norwegian businessperson and current chief executive officer of Posten Norge, the Norwegian Postal Service as well as chairman of the board of ErgoGroup.

Hårek Elvenes

Born in: Norway
Years: 1959-.. (age 67)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Hårek Elvenes is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.

Ove Trellevik

Born in: Norway
Years: 1965-.. (age 61)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Ove Bernt Trellevik is a Norwegian military officer, economist, and politician for the Conservative Party. A former officer in the Royal Norwegian Navy and former mayor of Sund Municipality, he has been member of the Storting from the constituency of Hordaland since 2013.

Christl Kvam

Born in: Norway
Years: 1962-.. (age 64)
Occupations: politicianeconomist
Biography: Christl Kvam is a Norwegian nurse, economist, trade unionist, organizational leader, civil servant and politician.

Jannik Lindbæk

Years: 1939-.. (age 87)
Occupations: banker
Biography: Jannik Lindbæk is a Norwegian banker and businessperson.

Tom-Christer Nilsen

Born in: Norway
Years: 1969-.. (age 57)
Occupations: business undergraduatepolitician
Biography: Tom-Christer Nilsen is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party and county mayor of Hordaland. He has been a member of Hordaland county council since 1995 and group chairman for the Conservatives since 2001.

Ole Enger

Years: 1948-.. (age 78)
Occupations: business executive
Biography: Ole Enger is a Norwegian businessperson.

Amund Djuve

Born in: Norway
Years: 1963-.. (age 63)
Occupations: editing staff
Biography: Amund Djuve is a Norwegian journalist and newspaper editor.

Alf Hildrum

Born in: Norway
Years: 1948-.. (age 78)
Occupations: journalistchief executive officerediting staffpolitician
Biography: Alf Ivar Hildrum is a Norwegian media executive and politician for the Labour Party.

Anne Nafstad Lyftingsmo

Born in: Norway
Years: 1968-.. (age 58)
Occupations: siviløkonom
Biography: Anne Nafstad Lyftingsmo is a Norwegian civil servant, who serves as the Secretary to the Government (Cabinet Secretary), the most senior civil servant in the government. She has studied business administration and worked as a consultant at ECON Analyse and at Statistics Norway before joining the central government administration. In 2006 she became Director-General in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. She later moved to the Prime Minister's Office, where she was a Director-General before becoming the Secretary to the Government in 2016.

Sten Lundbo

Born in: Norway
Years: 1940-.. (age 86)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Sten Fredrik Lundbo is a Norwegian diplomat and was Ambassador to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France 1995 - 2000 and to the Republic of Poland 2000 - 2005.

Torbjørn Hansen

Born in: Norway
Years: 1972-.. (age 54)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Torbjørn Hansen is a Norwegian politician representing the Conservative Party (Høyre). He is currently a representative of Hordaland in the Storting and was first elected in 2001.

Elisabeth Berge

Years: 1954-2020 (aged 66)
Occupations: civil servantbusinessperson
Biography: Elisabeth Berge was a Norwegian businessperson and civil servant.

Arne Sortevik

Born in: Norway
Years: 1947-.. (age 79)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Arne Sortevik is a Norwegian politician representing the Progress Party. He is currently a representative of Hordaland in the Storting and was first elected in 2001. He will not seek reelection to the parliament in 2013.

Jan Haaland

Years: 1956-.. (age 70)
Occupations: professoreconomist
Biography: Jan Ingvald Meidell Haaland was the rector of the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). He succeeded Per Ivar Gjærum in August 2005. Haaland is also professor of economics. His research has mainly focused on questions related to international trade.

Lars Sørgard

Years: 1959-.. (age 67)
Occupations: economist
Biography: Lars Sørgard is a Norwegian economist and civil servant.

Bjørn Røse

Years: 1951-.. (age 75)
Occupations: civil servant
Biography: Bjørn Røse is a Norwegian civil servant.

Øyulf Hjertenes

Born in: Norway
Years: 1979-.. (age 47)
Occupations: journalist
Biography: Øyulf Hjertenes is a Norwegian economist, journalist and newspaper editor.

Knut M. Ore

Years: 1946-.. (age 80)
Occupations: businesspersonhonorary consul
Biography: Knut Magne Ore is a Norwegian business executive and Honorary Consul of Slovenia.

Frøystein Gjesdal

Years: 1956-.. (age 70)
Occupations: economist
Biography: Frøystein Gjesdal was the rector of the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) from 2013 to 2017. He succeeded Jan Haaland in 2013. Gjesdal is also a professor at NHH's Department of Accounting, Auditing and Law.

Pål Kårbø

Born in: Norway
Years: 1973-.. (age 53)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Pål Kårbø is a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party.

Terje Vareberg

Born in: Norway
Years: 1948-.. (age 78)
Occupations: businesspersoneconomist
Biography: Terje Vareberg is a Norwegian economist and business executive.

Oddvar Flæte

Born in: Norway
Years: 1944-.. (age 82)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Oddvar Johannes Flæte is a Norwegian politician and civil servant.

Eli Telhaug

Years: 1962-.. (age 64)
Occupations: civil servant
Biography: Eli Telhaug is a Norwegian civil servant.

Arne Hyttnes

Born in: Norway
Years: 1950-.. (age 76)
Occupations: banker
Biography: Arne Hyttnes is a Norwegian banker.