New board at Oslo Business Region

Øystein Eriksen Søreide is a Norwegian Business Leader and, since 2019, the Managing Director of Abelia, a trade and employers’ association for tech- and knowledge based companies in Norway, part of NHO (The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise). Prior to Abelia, Søreide held the position as the District Director in Bydel Grorud in Oslo, and he has also been Vice Mayor and member of the city government in Oslo.

He has extensive work experience from a number of businesses and organisations, such as CARE, SOS Children's Villages, UNICEF, Høyre, and O. Mustad & Søn AS. In addition, he has experience from a number of board positions, including from NOKUT, Norsirk, Eivind Astrup's Almennyttige stiftelse, AS Høyres hus, The European Movement and Skogli Health and Rehabilitation Centre.

Christine Wergeland Sørbye has, since 2019, been the CEO of Oslo Science City, the first innovation district in Norway. She is a member of the Steering Committee for The Global Institute of Innovation Districts (GIID), and she holds an advanced master’s degree in Science of Education (Cand.Ed) from the University of Oslo, where she specialised in leadership, organisational theory, and didactics. She has extensive project management experience from the City of Oslo, including writing the city’s official campus strategy for developing Oslo as a knowledge capital. As the project leader for school development, she was also responsible for developing Kuben and Edvard Munch High Schools as innovative centres for learning and collaboration.

• Øystein Eriksen Søreide (Chairman), Managing Director of Abelia
• Christine Wergeland Sørbye, Managing Director of Oslo Science City
• Bente Holm, Chief Commercial Officer of DSD Explore
• Kjartan Slette, Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer of Unacast
• Waseem Shad, Managing Partner of The Venture Company

As we welcome our new board members, we also want to take a moment to express our gratitude to Johan Chr. Hovland and Inger Johanne Solhaug, who have significantly contributed to our organisation over the past six years.

Johan has been an important figure at Oslo Business Region, guiding us with wisdom and foresight. Reflecting on his time with us, Johan says:

“Oslo Business Region has highly competent and dedicated employees who make it easier every day to establish and develop the value-creating companies and workplaces of the future in Oslo. Thanks to all of you for your efforts, and to my colleagues on the board, during the six exciting years I have had the privilege of being the chairman of the company. I wish everyone at OBR good luck in an exciting time ahead.”

Inger Johanne has brought energy, enthusiasm, and a wealth of knowledge to our board. Reflecting on her tenure, she said:

“It has been very exciting and educational to get to know Oslo Business Region more closely through these years on the board. I am impressed by how much value such a small team manages to create for Oslo and our ecosystem! The highlight of the year for me has been Oslo Innovation Week, which has always been inspiring and fun to participate in. I wish the new board, and especially Siw and the team, good luck with all the new challenges ahead. Exciting times are ahead, and I am confident that the team will continue to deliver well in the future too. Thank you very much for the cooperation! I will be cheering loudly from the sidelines!”