Helge Thorbjørnsen

• Helge Thorbjørnsen (b. 1975) has a doctorate from NHH. He was employed as an associate professor at the Department of Strategy and Management at NHH in 2003, and was promoted to professor in 2008, at the age of 32.
• Thorbjørnsen has previously been vice-rector for research (2013-2018) at NHH, he has also been dean of the doctoral program at NHH (2011-2018). He researches and teaches in subject areas closely related to NHH's core business, including innovation, technology adoption, branding, decision-making behaviour, and more recently also quality of life and happiness.
• Thorbjørnsen has been research leader (PI) at the Center for Service Innovation (an SFI) and at the research center DIG, research leader at SNF, and head of the National Research School for Business Economics. He has collaborated with a wide range of international researchers, and is associated with the Center for Wellbeing, Welfare and Happiness at the Stockholm School of Economics. Thorbjørnsen has taught at all levels at NHH from bachelor to doctorate, supervised research scholars, as well as been program director and contributor to a number of NHH's executive programmes.
• Thorbjørnsen is an active research communicator, and has also participated in debates on various channels, such as Forskningsdagene and the Literature Symposium, NRK Dagsrevyen, TV2 Nyhetene and Lindmo. His popular science book "Tallskalle" has been published in several languages.
• Thorbjørnsen is co-founder of the technology company Ease Live. He also has board experience from several companies and organizations. Thorbjørnsen is currently, among other things, chairman of the board at Samfunns og Næringslivsforskning AS (SNF) and board member of Vestlandets Innovationsselskap (VIS), the Norwegian Consumer Council and the Administrative Research Fund Foundation (AFF).

‘Thorbjørnsen is a visionary, action-oriented and inspiring leader. He will be able to ensure the quality that NHH has today as a leading European business school, while at the same time he will add new perspectives and be a driving force for further development, says Chairperson Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe.

'A unifying rector'

Helge Thorbjørnsen holds a PhD from NHH. He was employed as an associate professor at the Department of Strategy and Management in 2003. Five years later, at the age of 32, he was promoted to professor. Thorbjørnsen has held a number of posts and positions at NHH over the years, including as vice-rector for research and dean of doctoral program.

‘In the board's assessments, we have emphasized Thorbjørnsen's strategic and development-oriented profile combined with his ability to implement. He will be a unifying rector who is able to balance innovation with the organisation's need for anchoring and stability, says Ulltveit-Moe.

'NHH is a fantastic institution'

Thorbjørnsen says that he is very much looking forward to starting his job as rector.

‘NHH is a fantastic institution with outstanding students and staff. In a world that offers great challenges and opportunities especially in technology and sustainability, NHH can and should play an even more important role. I look forward to leading the work on making NHH's research and study programs even more relevant, international and innovative, and to ensure that we train economists and leaders for the needs of the future,’ says Thorbjørnsen.

Thorbjørnsen researches and teaches in subject areas closely related to NHH's core business, such as innovation, technology adoption, branding, decision-making behaviour, and more recently also quality of life and happiness. He has board experience from several companies and organisations, and is currently, among other things, chairman of the board at SNF, board member of VIS, the Norwegian Consumer Council and AFF.

Thorbjørnsen takes over as rector from Øystein Thøgersen and takes office on 1 August. Thøgersen has been rector at NHH since 2017, and he has held this position for two periods.



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