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Top Executive Conference 2024

30 October 2024

About the conference

Each year, we invite managers and decision-makers from different industries to cast light on relevant issues.

The aim of the Top Executive Conference is to create an arena for sharing experiences, thoughts and knowledge that, in combination, contribute to improved security in the industry.

The conference is for specially invited guests, but the signposts, debate and conclusions are shared with the entire industry after the event.

This year’s programme

Trust

This year’s programme highlights the impact of the present state of the world on our trust-based model. The programme is divided into four main sections, which will be illuminated throughout the day through lectures and talks:

•    Trust in a new era
•    Trust in technology
•    Trust in the tripartite cooperation
•    Trust in the Norwegian model within new industries

Our speakers

Meet this year’s speakers. Every year, we invite relevant and knowledgeable speakers to shed light on topics that have safety and security as a permanent backdrop. The topics vary from year to year, but the goal is always to share experience.

Anders Opedal Sort-hvit

Anders Opedal

CEO, Equinor

Anders Opedal comes from the position as Executive Vice President Technology, Projects and Drilling. He joined Equinor as a petroleum engineer in 1997, spent many years in Drilling and Well and served as Chief Procurement Officer. He started in the position of CEO on 2 November 2020. Opedal holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from The Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTNU) and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

Torkjel Øvsthus SH

Torkjel Øvsthus

CFO, AS Norske Shell

In additon to being CFO at Norske Shell, Øvsthus is also chairman of A/S Norske Shell's Pension Fund. Øvsthus joined Shell in 2009, and since then has held a number of positions within finance and project control in the Shell group, with experience from Norway and South Korea. Øvsthus has a degree in civil economics from the Norwegian School of Economics and the University of St. Gallen.

 

anne myhrvold_SH

Anne Myhrvold

Director General, Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority

Anne Myhrvold is Director General of the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil), a position she has held since 2013.

She has a strong commitment to safety and, through her role, has worked closely with international authorities in this area. Havtil is the host of the annual Top Executive Conference.

Tim Heijn_SH

Tim Heijn

Director, Northern Lights

In May 2024, Tim Heijn took up the post of CEO of Northern Lights. Heijn is seconded from TotalEnergies and brings with him two decades of international industry experience from technical and management roles in TotalEnergies, Maersk Oil and Shell.

Øystein Tunsjø_SH

Øystein Tunsjø

Professor, Norwegian Defence University College (FHS)

Øystein Tunsjø is Professor and Head of the Asia Programme at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, FHS. Tunsjø majored in history at the University of Oslo and holds a doctorate from the University of Wales. He has written a number of books, including The Fight for World Power: USA and China in the 21st Century.

Elisabet Haugsbø_SH (2)

Elisabet Haugsbø

President, Tekna

In June 2023, Elisabet Haugsbø was elected President of Tekna, Norway’s largest trade union for workers and students in the technical and scientific professions. Haugsbø is the youngest president in Tekna’s 150-year history. She was previously vice president of Tekna for two years, while also serving as information security officer at Zebra Consulting.

Harald Stanghelle

Harald Stanghelle

Journalist and author

Harald Stanghelle is a Norwegian journalist and editor from Stanghelle in Vestland. He was the political editor of Aftenposten from 2000 to 2014. He was then editor and deputy to the editor-in-chief from 2014 to 2018. Stanghelle has long been a prominent debater and opinion-bearer in politics and social issues. In the autumn of 2018, he left his position as editor of Aftenposten. Since 2019, he has been the chair of the main program committee for Arendalsuka.

Photo of Terje Aasland

Terje Aasland

Minister of Energy

Terje Aasland has been Minister of Energy in Jonas Gahr Støre's government since 7 March 20221.
Aasland was elected to the Storting from Telemark in 2005 and has held several important positions, including chair of the Energy and Environment Committee.
He was leader of the Skien Labour Party in the period 1995–2000 and leader of the Telemark Labour Party from 2006 to 2020. From 1991 to 2003 he was a member of Skien municipal council.

Aslak Sira Myhre

Aslak Sira Myhre

National Librarian

Aslak Sira Myhre is a Norwegian commentator, author, cultural leader and politician who was appointed to the national librarian (director of the National Library of Norway) in 2014.
Sira Myhre was born and raised in Stavanger. 
He has previously been the leader of the Red Electoral Alliance (now the Red Party) and of the Association !les and the House of Literature in Oslo. In the autumn of 2021, Sira Myhre was appointed to lead the work on the Støre government's work on a new book law. The law was passed by the Storting in June 2023 and entered into force on 1 January 2024.

Kristine Dahl Steidel SH

Kristine Dahl Steidel

CEO, Microsoft Norge

Kristine Dahl Steidel has been CEO of Microsoft Norway since 2021. In this role, she leads Microsoft's strategic direction and operations in Norway, aiming to empower individuals and organizations with innovative solutions.

With extensive experience in the IT industry since 1997, Dahl Steidel previously held senior leadership positions in the industry. Her expertise includes IT management, strategic planning, and organizational change.

Monica Ovesen SH

Monica Ovesen

Head of drilling and well technology section, Havtil

Monica has worked in Ptil/Havtil for 18 years and has been a specialist for drilling and wells since 2011.

Ovesen has a background in well service, including coil tubing, cementing, stimulation and gravel pack.

She has worked for almost a year with onshore wells in the USA, with several trips offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, she has spent two years as a field engineer both on land and offshore in West Africa, stationed in Equatorial Guinea.

Raymond Midtgård

Raymond Midtgård

Union leader, SAFE

Raymond Midtgård was elected union leader in SAFE in 2023.
Midtgård was previously an operator at the Mongstad Refinery and has been employed by Statoil/Equinor since 2008.

He has been released from regular duties as a union representative since 2018, and has been in the role of both Club Leader at Mongstad and Group corporate union representative for Equinor at Forus.

Hildegunn Blindheim-1

Hildegunn Blindheim

General Manager, Offshore Norge

Hildegunn T. Blindheim is CEO of Offshore Norway. She joined the organization in 2011 and has been director of the climate and environment department in the organization for several years and led the work on the industry's climate strategy.
Blindheim has previously worked in the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research with both the transport sector and land-based industry. She holdas a degree in atmospheric physics and astrophysics.

Hildegunn T. Blindheim was appointed as CEO of Offshore Norway on 15 November 2021.

Kjetil Gjersdal SH

Kjetil Gjersdal

CEO, Odfjell Drilling


Kjetil Gjesdal has been employed since 2000, and was appointed to the position as CEO of Odfjell Drilling AS in March 2022. Kjetil holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine & Offshore technology from Ålesund University College.

He has more than 25 years’ experience in the drilling and well industry. Since joining Odfjell Drilling, he has held various positions within Operations and Rig Management, such as Rig Manager, VP MODU Operations, SVP MODU International and EVP MODU.

Anne Knausgård

Anne K. Knausgård

Country Manager, Parkwind


Anne Knausgård has extensive experience in large development projects and field service assignments, both nationally and internationally. She spent 14 years working for Equinor and five years at Shell, in addition to working for companies such as Aker Solutions and EMAS AMC.

Knausgård was appointed coutry manager of Parkwind Norway on 13 August 2024.

Last autumn, Parkwind, together with its partners in Ventyr, won the permit to develop Sørlige Nordsjø II.

Contact in Havtil