AmCham's 2024 AGM & Transatlantic Assembly

Managing Director Jason Turflinger extended a warm welcome to attendees at AmCham’s 2024 Annual General Meeting, graciously hosted by EY. He presented the organization’s robust results, future initiatives, and strategic priorities. AmCham Chair Ketil Nordengen (3M) emphasized transatlantic collaboration and adaptability in navigating evolving business landscapes. He expressed optimism for the coming year, highlighting talent cultivation, technological advancements, and sustainable practices as key for overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities.

A Renewed AmCham Board of Directors

Nominees for AmCham’s Board of Directors were announced and confirmed, with Trine Strømsnes appointed as AmCham’s First Vice Chair, and Hilde Bech (BMS), Birte Marie Horn-Hanssen (BI), and Thomas Huuse (Baker Hughes) welcomed as new board members. The renewed Board of Directors boasts extensive cross-industry expertise, well capable of advancing key pro-business initiatives.

Outgoing members Pål Rokke (Citi) and Elisabeth Hellemose (AIG) were warmly acknowledged for their invaluable contributions to the Board. Rokke’s remarkable 14-year tenure, which included serving as Board Chair from 2013-2020, solidifies his position as the second longest-serving Chair in AmCham’s history. Similarly, Hellemose’s dedicated service as a Board member from 2021-2024, culminating in her role as First Vice Chair, has left a lasting impact on AmCham’s endeavors.

Notable AmCham Board Changes & Additions

Trine Strømsnes

First Vice Chair

Cisco Norge – Managing Director

 Hilde Bech

Director

Bristol Myers Squibb Norway – General Manager

Arendalsuka logos_BMS

Birte Marie Horn-Hanssen

Director

BI Norwegian Business School – Head of Outreach

BI

Tom Huuse

Director

Baker Hughes – Global Executive Account Director

baker hughes 2024

Trade & Investment, Bilateral Collaboration, and Industrial Transition

Following the AGM, the annual Transatlantic Assembly commenced, focusing on trade & investment, bilateral collaboration, and industrial transition. Keynote speeches by Christin Bøsterud, Country Managing Partner & Nordic Chief Sustainability Officer at EY, and Bård Ludvig Thorheim, Member of Parliament (H), set the stage.

Bøsterud emphasized the pivotal role of sustainability in corporate responsibility, noting its impact on global trade dynamics amidst geopolitical shifts, while Thorheim highlighted the potential of the US-Norway relationship to drive job creation and innovation through cultural exchanges and expertise synergies.

The subsequent panel discussion, featuring Thorheim alongside industry leaders Trine Strømsnes, General Manager at Cisco Systems Norway, Mads Ribe, Associate Partner at EY, and Sharon Hudson Dean, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, addressed critical imperatives for transatlantic cooperation.

Panelists advocated for harmonizing regulations between the EU and the US to spur interoperability and innovation. They stressed the urgency of bolstering competencies in cybersecurity and AI to tackle emerging challenges across industries. Public-private partnerships were identified as essential for developing technological solutions and timely and effective regulatory frameworks.

While acknowledging the robustness of the US-Norway relationship, panelists identified avenues for its further enhancement:

  • Norway’s role as a pioneer in adopting new technologies should persist, setting a precedent for others and offering itself as a testing ground for early adoption.
  • Emphasizing self-reliance in energy production and fostering dependable supply chains among allies are imperative.
  • Collaboration on green digital transformation is essential, recognizing that technology is indispensable for realizing sustainable transitions.
  • Exploring the possibility of a US-Norway free-trade agreement warrants consideration.
  • Sustaining collaborative efforts for global stability remains paramount.

In conclusion, the assembly highlighted the significance of leveraging transatlantic partnerships to navigate geopolitical uncertainties and drive sustainable economic growth in a time of transition.