Nordic Gamechangers: turning global perspective into Nordic value

“You adapt quickly to where you are,” she says. “But working in different parts of the world gives you new reference points. You see familiar challenges through slightly different lenses.”

That perspective has influenced how Ine approaches her role today as VP and Head of Finance for Telenor Nordics.

Ine grew up in Nøtterøy, Norway, close to the sea, in a family where travel was part of everyday life. Her father worked as a cruise ship captain and visiting him meant experiencing new places and cultures from a young age. Rather than one defining journey, it was the accumulation of many that shaped her outlook.

“Seeing how people live, work, and think in different places broadens your perspective. It makes you more curious and more open to different ways of solving problems,” she says.

That curiosity has guided her career choices. After studying in London and Madrid, Ine joined Telenor in 2016 through the company’s trainee programme, starting in Telenor Group’s Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) team. Since then, she has built many careers within a career, with roles spanning finance, strategy, and commercial work across Oslo, Budapest, and Singapore.

“Every few years, I’ve had the chance to take on something new. That constant development is why, ten years later, I’m still here. And thriving. You don’t always have to leave a company to grow.”

Ine’s time in Asia gave her first-hand experience with different ways of working, particularly when it comes to pace, scale, and decision-making. 

“In many Asian markets, there’s a strong sense of energy and momentum,” she explains. “Decisions are often backed more quickly, and when opportunities arise, they are pursued at scale.”

Returning to the Nordics, she saw her experiences from Asia as something to build on. Trust, collaboration, and alignment remain core strengths. The difference, she says, is being more conscious about when speed and decisiveness matter most. This is reflected in how she approaches her role today.

“One of the biggest advantages of working Nordic is the portfolio perspective,” she says. “If one country cannot fully utilise its investment capacity, we can reallocate resources to where they create more value. That flexibility allows us to act faster and make better decisions for the company as a whole.”

Insights, best practices, and capital move more freely across borders, allowing opportunities to be captured when they arise.

“For me, it’s about bringing the strengths from both worlds into how we work,” Ine says. “Keeping the trust and alignment that we value in the Nordics, while being more deliberate about pace, prioritisation, and impact.”

Much of Ine’s leadership approach has been shaped by the people she has worked with during her ten years at Telenor. In particular, she points to her current leader, Thomas Thyholdt, and her former leader, the late Jørgen Rostrup, as important role models. That approach has also been recognised outside the company, most recently by being named Finance Star of the Year by Norway’s E24.

“My own leaders have shown me the value of openness, transparency, and trust,” she says. “From them I’ve learned that when you work with competent and ambitious people, giving them freedom and clarity makes a big difference in the results.”

That belief is central to how she leads today. Her role, she explains, is to set direction and create alignment, while giving teams the autonomy to execute.

This is also how Ine defines being a gamechanger. “You can do a great job and still just be part of the flow,” she says. “Being a gamechanger is about putting your mark on something. Taking responsibility, making thoughtful bets, and contributing to change that creates real value.”