Gunn Wærsted
Encyclopedia
Gunn Wærsted is a Norwegian
businessperson, with prominent positions in finance and banking.
She was born in Vråliosen as a daughter of power plant manager Atle W. Wærsted and Ester Helgerud (1920–). The family moved to Drammen
when Wærsted was six years old. She graduated with the siv.øk.
degree from the Norwegian School of Management
in 1979. She was hired in Andenæsgruppen as a secretary in the same year, and soon advanced to chief financial officer
. She left five years later to work in the investment company Nevi
in Fyllingsdalen
. The company Nevi Investor was established in 1987, and later changed its name to DnB Investor. Nevi had been bought by Bergen Bank
which was then bought by Den norske Bank
(DnB). Wærsted was a director in Den norske Bank from 1993 to 1995. Den norske Bank then bought Vital, and from 1996 to 2001 Wærsted was the CEO of Vital Forsikring
and of DnB Holdning. In 2001 she was headhunted as CEO of Sparebank 1 Gruppen
. In 2007 she resigned in Sparebank 1 Gruppen, and one month later she was hired in the Group Executive Management of multinational company Nordea
. She became the country senior executive in Norway in 2008.
In October 2000, when the Norwegian State Railways had been rocked by turmoil for a while, Wærsted was installed as deputy chair in the board. She left in June 2001. When she left the DnB system later in 2001 she was the chair of DnB Kapitalforvaltning, DnB Investor, Fondsforsikringsselskapet Vital Link and Vital Skade. She was also a board member of the Norwegian School of Management and Doorstep
, and is a corporate council member of Orkla Group
and council member of Det Norske Veritas
and the Norwegian Banks' Guarantee Fund
. From 2005 to 2007 she chaired the Norwegian Financial Services Association
. She is now a board member of both the Norwegian Financial Services Association and Finance Norway
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
businessperson, with prominent positions in finance and banking.
She was born in Vråliosen as a daughter of power plant manager Atle W. Wærsted and Ester Helgerud (1920–). The family moved to Drammen
Drammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
when Wærsted was six years old. She graduated with the siv.øk.
Siviløkonom
Siviløkonom is an academic degree issued within the field of business administration and economics and a professional title in Norway , obtained after 5 years of studies...
degree from the Norwegian School of Management
Norwegian School of Management
BI Norwegian Business School former name BI Norwegian School of Management is the largest business school in Norway and the second largest in all of Europe. BI has in total 6 campuses with the main one located in Oslo.-History:...
in 1979. She was hired in Andenæsgruppen as a secretary in the same year, and soon advanced to chief financial officer
Chief financial officer
The chief financial officer or Chief financial and operating officer is a corporate officer primarily responsible for managing the financial risks of the corporation. This officer is also responsible for financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management...
. She left five years later to work in the investment company Nevi
Nevi (company)
Nevi was a Bergen, Norway-based financial company. Owned by Vital, it experienced a rapid growth during the 1980s, before nearly going bankrupt and being taken over by Bergen Bank in 1988....
in Fyllingsdalen
Fyllingsdalen
Fyllingsdalen is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway, located south-west of the city centre in the valley to the west of Løvstakken. The early name of the valley, Fynö dalen, was the origin of the name of the farm which gave Fyllingsdalen its name, Fyllingen...
. The company Nevi Investor was established in 1987, and later changed its name to DnB Investor. Nevi had been bought by Bergen Bank
Bergen Bank
Bergen Bank was a Norwegian commercial bank in existence between 1975 and 1990. It was created as a merger between Bergens Privatbank and Bergens Kreditbank while the bank Kvam Privatbank was acquired in 1979. In 1988 it bought Nevi. Bergen Bank, which was based in Bergen, Norway, merged with Den...
which was then bought by Den norske Bank
Den norske Bank
Den norske Bank or DnB was a Norwegian bank that existed between 1990 and 2003 when it merged with Gjensidige NOR to form the present DnB NOR...
(DnB). Wærsted was a director in Den norske Bank from 1993 to 1995. Den norske Bank then bought Vital, and from 1996 to 2001 Wærsted was the CEO of Vital Forsikring
Vital Forsikring
Vital Forsikring ASA, branded as Vital is Norway's largest life insurance and pension insurance company, and part of the DnB NOR Group. Though Vital has roots back to 1847, it was created in its present form by a merger between Vital and Gjensidige NOR's life insurance section after the mother...
and of DnB Holdning. In 2001 she was headhunted as CEO of Sparebank 1 Gruppen
Sparebank 1
SpareBank 1 is a Norwegian alliance and brand name for savings bank. The alliance is organised through the company SpareBank 1 Gruppen AS that is owned by the participating banks. In total the alliance is Norway's second largest bank with total assets of NOK 625 billion, 352 branches and 6300...
. In 2007 she resigned in Sparebank 1 Gruppen, and one month later she was hired in the Group Executive Management of multinational company Nordea
Nordea
Nordea Bank AB is a Stockholm-based financial services group operating in Northern Europe. The bank is the result of the successive mergers and acquisitions of the Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian banks of Nordbanken, Merita Bank, Unibank and Kreditkassen that took place between 1997 and 2000...
. She became the country senior executive in Norway in 2008.
In October 2000, when the Norwegian State Railways had been rocked by turmoil for a while, Wærsted was installed as deputy chair in the board. She left in June 2001. When she left the DnB system later in 2001 she was the chair of DnB Kapitalforvaltning, DnB Investor, Fondsforsikringsselskapet Vital Link and Vital Skade. She was also a board member of the Norwegian School of Management and Doorstep
Doorstep (company)
Doorstep is a Norwegian company.It was established in 2000, and was meant to develop a web portal for online trade. It was a cooperation between telecommunications company Telenor and Den norske Bank. Chairman was Petter Jansen, and among the board members were Gunn Wærsted, Jon Fredrik Baksaas and...
, and is a corporate council member of Orkla Group
Orkla Group
Orkla Group is a Norwegian industrial conglomerate operating in the Nordic region, Eastern Europe, Asia and the US. The company's main divisions are branded consumer goods, aluminium solutions, materials, associates and financial investments.-Operations:...
and council member of Det Norske Veritas
Det Norske Veritas
Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organization's history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical condition...
and the Norwegian Banks' Guarantee Fund
Norwegian Banks' Guarantee Fund
The Norwegian Banks' Guarantee Fund is a Norwegian fund for deposit insurance.It was established on 1 July 2004, because of legislation that passed the Parliament of Norway one week before. It was a merger of the Commercial Banks' Guarantee Fund and the Savings Banks' Guarantee Fund...
. From 2005 to 2007 she chaired the Norwegian Financial Services Association
Norwegian Financial Services Association
The Norwegian Financial Services Association is an employers' organisation in Norway.It was established in 2000 as a merger between the Norwegian Bankers' Association and the Association of Norwegian Insurance Companies....
. She is now a board member of both the Norwegian Financial Services Association and Finance Norway
Finance Norway
Finance Norway is an employers' organisation in Norway.It was established on 1 January 2010 as a cooperation organization between the Norwegian Financial Services Association and the Norwegian Savings Banks Association...
.