Speakers and contributors
In order of appearance
Marina Tofting
Head of communications and relations, DNVA
Marina Tofting is the head of communications and relations at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. She has previously been the head of communications at the University of Oslo. Tofting will be moderating the conference.
Torbjørn Digernes
President, NTVA
Torbjørn Digernes is a physicist and emeritus professor of marine systems design. He is the current president of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA), and the former rector of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Digernes graduated with a master’s degree in technical physics in 1972, and a PhD in computer science, from the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) – now NTNU.
Reinhard Hüttl
President, Euro-CASE
Reinhard Hüttl is the President of Euro-CASE. He is also the GFZ’s Scientific Executive Director and Chairman of the Board, the President of acatech and the Vice President of the Society of German Natural Scientists GDNÄ.
Paul Chaffey
State Secretary, Conservative Party
Paul Chaffey has been State Secretary to the Minister of Digitalisation since January 2019. He was State Secretary to the Minister of Local Government and Modernisation from 2013. Prior to that he was managing director of Abelia. Chaffey has a degree in political science and history, and has previously worked at Statoil.
Xavier Fouger
Senior Director, Learning Centers and Programs
Dassault Systemes – Learning Experience
An Industrial Engineer, former Science Attaché in Vienna, Xavier Fouger joined Dassault Systemes in 1990. He developed new innovation processes for various automotive manufacturers in Germany and Korea. He created the corporate organization in charge of global academia. He designed cutting edge learning initiatives for secondary and vocational education.
Katja Windt
Prof. Dr.-Ing., Member of the Managing Board, SMS Group, GmbH
Katja Windt is a member of the managing board in the SMS Group, GmbH. She was the president of Jacobs University Bremen, Germany since 2014, where she worked for ten years, initially as professor for production logistics, then as provost and president. During her time at the university she successfully implemented digitalization and logistics projects for customers in the steel industry.
Herman Cappelen
Professor of philosophy, University of Oslo and at the University of St Andrews (20%)
Co-Director, ConceptLab
Cappelen is professor of philosophy, the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Inquiry, and a Co-Director of ConceptLab. His current work is largely focused on running a 5-year project on conceptual engineering.
His philosophical interests are broad – and cover more or less all areas of systematic philosophy. He written several books.
Read more about Herman Cappelen
Asbjørn Rolstadås
Professor Emeritus, NTNU
Asbjørn Rolstadås is a Professor Emeritus of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering. His research covers topics like numerical control of machine tools, computer-aided manufacturing systems, productivity measurement and development, computer-aided production planning and control systems and project management methods and systems. He has published more than 280 papers and 20 books in these fields.
Read more about Asbjørn Rolstadås
Julia Paulsen
Head of Digital Sales and Services, DNB
Paulsen is the Head of Digital Sales and Service at DNB – Norway’s largest financial services group. She has received Årets modige PM 4 The Future 2019 diploma for her progressive leadership methods. Her motto for her team is «what you can’t measure doesn’t exist», with all decisions being based on data, not assumptions, with a customer-first mindset. Julia will share her learnings from her time as Brand Manager of Nordics in Zalando (the biggest e-commerce player in Europe) and how she has used this experience to further develop the Digital Sales and Service team at DNB.
She will also reflect on how one can make sure to have the right skill set in order to stay relevant as a workforce of the future.
Hendrik Van Brussel
Emeritus Professor, KU Leuven
Hendrik Van Brussel is emeritus professor in mechatronics and automation at the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium.
He was a pioneer in robotics research in Europe and an active promoter of the mechatronics idea as a new paradigm for complex systems design. He has published extensively on different aspects of robotics, mechatronics and flexible automation. His research interests include mechatronics, holonic manufacturing systems, behaviour based and medical robots, precision engineering. His book, “Design for the unexpected. From holonic manufacturing systems towards a humane mechatronics society”, sheds new light on how to design complex adaptive systems, allowing to harmoniously include the role of humans.
Read more about Hendrik Van Brussel
Walter Qvam
Chairperson, Digital Norway
Qvam has held several leadership positions in large Norwegian and international corporations such as KONGSBERG, DNV GL and Cap Gemini. He has 35 years experience from global technology companies, and his key specialties and interest are within corporate governance, technology strategy, organizational development and turnarounds.
He holds several board positions at various companies, including SINTEF, wheel.me, and Digital Norway.
Nina Schanke Funnemark
CEO, The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
Nina Schanke Funnemark is the CEO of the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen). She has previously held different leadership positions in The Norwegian Tax Administration.
Cathrine Laksfoss
CEO, Schibsted Distribution Group
Cathrine Laksfoss is the Head of logistics and distribution activities for Schibsted Norway for the newspapers VG, Aftenposten, Bergens Tidende, Stavanger Aftenblad and Fædrelandsvennen. She is the Co-founder of Helthjem and Chair of Board; Helthjem Netthandel as, Zoopit AS, Distribution Innovation AS, Schibsted Distribution Øst AS and Schibsted Distribution Vest AS.
Read more about Cathrine Laksfoss
Frank Bråthen
Head of factory automation, Siemens
Frank Bråthen is the Head of factory automation at Siemens.
Gunnar Staff
Director of Optimization, Cognite AS
Gunnar Staff is the Director of Optimization at Cognite AS.
Ingunn Midttun Godal
Global Business Development Director, Business Assurance, DNV GL
Ingunn Midttun Godal is the Global Business Development Director, Business Assurance, at DNV GL. She is responsible for driving globally the 3 focused industry segments (food and beverage, health care, automotive and aerospace) and the globally focused service lines, product assurance and supply chain management. Godal is a part of the Executive Leadership Team in DNV GL Business Assurance.
She has just been appointed the Director General of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
Read more about Ingunn Midttun Godal
Charles Fadel
Founder and chairman, Center for Curriculum Redesign
Fadel is a global education thought leader and author, futurist and inventor; founder and chairman of Center for Curriculum Redesign; visiting scholar Harvard GSE; member President’s Council at Olin College of Engineering; chair education committee at BIAC/OECD; co-author of “Artificial Intelligence in Education” (2019); “Four-Dimensional Education” (framework in 20 languages) and best-selling “21st Century Skills”; founder and president Fondation Helvetica Educatio (Geneva, Switzerland). Has worked with education systems and institutions in more than 30 countries. Spent 25 years in technology management; formerly Global Education Lead at Cisco Systems, visiting scholar at MIT ESG and Wharton/Penn CLO, angel investor with Beacon Angels. BSEE, MBA, seven patents.
Lise Lyngsnes Randeberg
President, Tekna
Professor, NTNU
Lyngsnes Randeberg is the president of Tekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals – and co-founder of Picterus AS. She has been at professor at NTNU since 2011. Her interests are in research, technology, innovation and industrial politics.
Read more about Lise Lyngsnes Randeberg
Simen Markussen
Senior researcher, Frisch Center, University of Oslo / Chairman, the Norwegian Committee on lifelong learning
Research interests: labour economics, programme evaluation, social insurance programs, empirical methods, health
Read more about Simen Markussen
Steinar Holden
Head of the Department of Economics, University of Oslo
Chairman, the Norwegian Committee on skill needs (Kompetansebehovsutvalget)
Academic interests: wage setting, monetary and fiscal policy, macroeconomics, labour market, bargaining.
Read more about Steinar Holden
Geir Øien
Professor and project manager, NTNU
Øien is project manager for NTNU’s central education development project «Technology studies of the future».
He became a professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications in May 2001 and belong to the Signal Processing Research Group. He was head of the Department of Telecommunications in the period 2002-2004. He is the former dean of the NTNU Faculty of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering.
Are Tomasgard
LO-Secretary, LO
Are Tomasgard is the LO-Secretary for LO – the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions. LO is the largest umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway.
Anne Louise Aartun Bye
Director, NHO
Anne Louise Aartun Bye is a Director at the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), which is Norway’s largest organisation for employers and the leading business lobbyist.
Anne Borg
Acting Rector, NTNU
Anne Borg was appointed as Acting Rector at NTNU on 21 August 2019. Borg has also been the Pro-Rector for Education, Dean and Vice Dean for Education at the at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, NTNU. Anne Borg is a professor in condensed matter physics since 1998 at the NTNU Department of Physics. She is honorary doctor at Lund University.
Nina Sandberg
Member of Parliament, Labour Party
Nina Sandberg is a Member of Parliament for Akershus (2017-2021) and a member of The Standing Committee on Education and Research.