CEO and Group Executive Management

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is in charge of the day-to-day management of the Telenor Group. The Group Executive Management consists of heads of key business areas and functions at Telenor.

Jon Fredrik Baksaas

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Jon Fredrik Baksaas
  • Appointed: 21 June 2002
  • Stocks: 119,110 as of 10 November 2009
  • Options: 300,000 as of 10 November 2009

Background: Jon Fredrik Baksaas was appointed President and CEO of Telenor in June 2002. The total number of subscriptions in Telenor Group's 13 mobile operations, increased from 21 million in June 2002 to 172 million by the end of 2009 (Q3). In terms of subscriptions, this makes Telenor Group one of largest mobile operator worldwide.

Prior to becoming the President and CEO, Jon Fredrik Baksaas served as Telenor's Deputy CEO, CFO and Executive Vice President with the overall responsibility for Telenor's networks and communication services in Norway. Norway is known as one of the world's most advanced countries within ICT usage. Before joining Telenor in 1989, Baksaas served as CFO in Aker AS, CFO in Stolt-Nielsen Seaway and held finance related positions in Det Norske Veritas (DNV) in Norway and Japan. Baksaas is currently a board member of Svenska Handelsbanken AB, the GSM Association and a member of the Advisory Council of Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

Education: Master of Science degree from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen. He has additional qualifications from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Richard Olav Aa

Appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

  • Appointed: 1 March 2010
  • Stocks: 0 as of 11 January 2010
  • Options: 0 as of 11 January 2010

Background: Until taking up the position as CFO in Telenor Group on 1 March 2010, Aa serves as Investment Director of Arendals Fossekompani ASA, a listed electrical utility and investment company. He has held various management positions in the a metals and energy company Elkem, both in Norway and the USA, including the position as CFO of Elkem (1999 to 2005, when the company was listed). He has also been Managing Director of the listed investment company Norsk Vekst ASA (2005 to 2007) and Executive Vice President for business development in Bertel O. Steen AS (1997 to 1999).

Aa is currently Chairman of the Board in Asics Scandinavia and Board Member in Elkem Aluminium ANS, Elkem Chartering and REC AS.

Education: Master of Science in Business and Economics from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, specializing in strategies and finance.

Kristin Skogen Lund

Appointed Executive Vice President and Head of the Telenor Nordic operations

  • Appointed: 1 March 2010
  • Stocks: 0 as of 11 January 2010
  • Options: 0 as of 11 January 2010

Background: Prior to joining Telenor Group 1 March 2010, Kristin Skogen Lund has held various senior positions in the media group Schibsted, currently as Chief Executive Officer of Aftenposten AS, one of the largest newspapers in Norway. Before this, she held the position as CEO of the image bureau Scanpix Scandinavia (2003-2004), CEO of the Internet portal Scandinavia Online (1998-2002), in addition to various management positions in Unilever and Coca-Cola.

Kristin Skogen Lund holds several positions of trust. She is deputy president in NHO (Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise), Board Member in Orkla ASA, Aftonbladet AB, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, and Council Member in the think tank Civita.

Education: Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Business Administration from University of Oregon, USA.

Sigve Brekke

Executive Vice President and Head of the Telenor Asia operations

Sigve Brekke
  • Appointed: 1 September 2008
  • Stocks: 21,577 as of 6 October 2009
  • Options: 40,000 as of 10 November 2008

Background: Mr. Brekke joined the Telenor Singapore office in 1999 as Manager Business Development and later Managing Director. Mr Brekke served as co-Chief Executive Officer of dtac from 2002 to 2005, and Chief Executive Officer in dtac from 2005-2008. Prior to joining Telenor, Mr. Brekke has served as the Deputy Minister (State Secretary) of Defence in Norway in 1993, and has also held position as an associate research fellow at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in the USA.

Education: Master of Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

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Morten Karlsen Sørby

Executive Vice President and head of Group Business Development & Research

Morten Karlsen Sørby  (Photo: Scanpix)
  • Appointed: April 2009
  • Stocks: 32,175 as of 6 October 2009
  • Options: 55,000 as of 4 August 2008

Background: Mr. Sørby joined Telenor in 1993 where he has held a number of senior positions, including Executive Vice President and head of the Nordic mobile and fixed network operations of Telenor, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Telenor Mobile and General Manager of Telenor International AS. He has previously worked at Arthur Andersen & Co in Oslo, Norway.

Education: Master of Science in Business administration. He is a state licensed public accountant (Norway). He also has qualifications from the International Institute for Management Development, IMD, in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Jan Edvard Thygesen

Executive Vice President and Head of the Central/Eastern European operations

Jan Edvard Thygesen
  • Appointed: 1999
  • Stocks: 97,381 as of 10 November 2009
  • Options: 105,000 as of 10 November 2009

Background: Since joining Telenor in 1979, Mr. Thygesen has held various positions, including Chief Executive Officer of Sonofon, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Telenor Nordic Mobile, Executive Vice President of Telenor Mobil, President of Telenor Invest AS, Executive Vice President of Telenor Bedrift AS and President of Telenor Nett AS. He has also served as President of Esat Digifone and Televerket.

Education: Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Norwegian Institute of Technology.

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Bjørn Magnus Kopperud

Executive Vice President and Head of Group People and Organisation

Bjørn Magnus Kopperud
  • Appointed: January 2006. Since 2003 he has served as Head of Group Human Resources.
  • Stocks: 34,542 as of 20 January 2010
  • Options: 40,000 as of 10 November 2009

Background: Mr. Kopperud joined Telenor in 1994 and has held a number of senior positions at Telenor, including Executive Vice President of Telenor Mobile AS, Managing Director at Telenor Global Services AS and Managing Director at Telenor Global AS.

Education: Master of Science in Computer Science from the Norwegian Institute of Technology and additional qualifications from Business Management studies at both the International Institute for Management Development, IMD, in Lausanne, Switzerland and INSEAD, Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires.

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Ragnar H. Korsæth

Executive Vice President and Head of Telenor's mobile and fixed network operations in Sweden and Denmark

Ragnar H. Korsæth
  • Appointed: April 2009
  • Stocks: 22,328 as of 10 November 2009
  • Options: 60,000 as of 10 November 2009

Background: Mr. Korsæth joined Telenor in 1997, and has held a number of senior positions, including Executive Vice President and Head of Global Coordination, Chief Operating Officer of Telenor International Mobile, Chief Financial Officer of Telenor Mobile and Finance Director at Telenor International.

Education: Master of Science in Business Administration and additional qualifications as Certified Financial Analyst (EFFAS) from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) in Bergen.

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Hilde M. Tonne

Executive Vice President and Head of Communications & Corporate Responsibility

Hilde M. Tonne
  • Appointed: 1 September 2007
  • Stocks: 12,246 as of 6 October 2009
  • Options: 0 as of 20 February 2009

Background: Ms. Tonne came to Telenor from Norsk Hydro, where she was Head of Technology & Research in Hydro Oil & Energy. During the years from 1991 to 1999 Ms. Tonne held various positions in Saga Petroleum. From 2000 to 2007 she served in several managerial positions in Hydro - including the position as Head of Communications in Hydro Oil & Energy. Tonne serves on the Board of Directors in Det Norske Veritas AS and Statkraft AS.

Education: Master of Science in Petroleum Technology from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim, Norway and RWTH Aachen in Germany.

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All photos: Ole Walter Jacobsen