Gunn Marit Helgesen is President of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS), and co-President of Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). She also represents Norway in the World Council and Executive Bureau of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). Local and regional authorities throughout Europe face many of the same challenges ahead. Covid-19 recovery, tighter public finances, climate change, labour participation and welfare are issues that are often discussed across regions and national boundaries. Mrs. Helgesen believes it is important to learn from each other, and that local solutions can often be the solution to both national and international challenges. Trust in democracy, freedom of expression and human rights form the foundation of policymaking in many areas.

Ingebjørg Harto is the newly appointed Programme Director at Norway’s National Programme for Supplier Development (LUP). Harto has, until recently, been heading the Brussels office of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), following and influencing the EU agenda in the interest of the Norwegian Business community over the past five years. Harto has a solid legal experience, having worked asa lawyer, legal director and executive director for Economical and Industrial Affairs, promoting business interests towards the EU, national and regional authorities. Harto now leads a team of 10 dedicated innovation brokers in Norway, all with the mandate to accelerate innovations and development of new solutions through the strategic use of public procurement, while at the same time contributing to new market opportunities for these innovations.

Ole Bech Lykkebo is Program Director at the Danish Centre for Public-Private Innovation (CO-PI). Ole is currently heading the introduction of the successful methods used by Norway’s National Program for Supplier Development (LUP) to a Danish context. CO-PI’s main task is to help scale innovative public procurement as a driver for accelerating green transition. As a great fan of Nordic co-operation, Ole has co-invented The Innovation Barometer – a comprehensive tool for measuring and strategizing public sector innovation. The Innovation Barometer was pioneered by the Nordics and is now widely copied throughout Europe.

Isa-Maria Bergman is Director for the Business area of Circular Economy at the Finnish state owned company Motiva. She is also the coordinator of the Competence Centre of Sustainable and Innovative Public Procurement in Finland (Keino). Isa-Maria has over 20 years of experience in policy development in sustainability in general and public procurement in particular.  Having worked in Sweden, Finland and for the Nordic Council of ministers she has a profound experience in Nordic co-operation.

Tone Grindland is Regional Director of the Norwegian Confederation of Enterprises (NHO) in Rogaland. Over the last decade, she has been a driving force for economic development in the Stavanger region, and has held leading positions with the City of Stavanger, Greater Stavanger Economic Development and the Stavanger European Office, previously working with the Red Cross and the Norwegian Conflict Council. Grindland is a political scientist with an international university education from five countries. Grindland has, for several years, had various tasks as moderator and host for national and international conferences, and holds a particular interest related to new business models, innovation and international coherence.