Wikborg Rein secured two top distinctions at the 2026 IFLR Europe Awards in London. In addition to being named Norway Firm of the Year, our Partner Sigurd Opedal was awarded Norway Lawyer of the Year.
“The awards are a strong recognition of our position in large and complex transactions and of the strength of our entire team. It underlines the depth of expertise we have across the firm, and we are very proud of this achievement”, says Managing Partner Geir Sviggum.
Ferd går inn på eiersiden i Oslo Science Hub og kjøper 50 prosent av den planlagte utvidelsen av Campus Radiumhospitalet på over 40 000 kvadratmeter. Målet er å gi et av Norges viktigste kreftmiljøer rom til å vokse, og legge bedre til rette for at forskning, behandling, innovasjon og næringsliv kan utvikles tettere sammen.
In collaboration with the US Commercial Service, the year’s second Defense Forum was hosted at Villa Otium, where participants were warmly welcomed by Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy Oslo, Eric Meyer. The session featured three speakers: Colonel Kai Solem, Head of the Norwegian Drone Coalition Team, Lieutenant Colonel Mary E. LeValley, USMC, Chief, U.S. Military Group – Norway and Iceland, and Dr. Vegard Nergård, Professor of Aviation, UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
Colonel Kai Solem shared perspectives from the Norwegian Army on how the character and dynamics of war are changing. He highlighted several defining trends shaping modern land warfare, including the importance of unmanned capabilities. Solem emphasized unmanned systems are becoming a strategic necessity in future land warfare. Solem also underlined the importance of collaboration between the military and industry, noting that the Armed Forces must communicate operational needs, while industry plays a key role in developing innovative and practical solutions.
Next, Lieutenant Colonel Mary E. LeValley described the role of the US Military Group at the US Embassy Oslo through three key functions: listen, connect, and enable. LeValley explained how the office listens to needs and perspectives of Norwegian defense stakeholders, connects relevant actors, and enables cooperation through acquisitions, development, and dialogue. Her remarks highlighted importance of communication and relationships in ensuring that defense needs are understood and matched with relevant capabilities.
Dr. Vegard Nergård concluded the presentations from a research perspective, focusing on the Arctic Validation of technology, operations, and human performance. He emphasized that technology rarely fails simply because the technology itself is poor, but because real-world conditions are more complex than expected. The Arctic exposes assumptions and provides a demanding environment for testing critical platforms.
With this reasoning, Nergård and his colleagues at UiT are building TASIC – a Test Arena for Simulation in Complex Environments. TASIC is a purpose-built infrastructure for validating technologies, operations, and human performance under genuine Arctic conditions. The long-term ambition is the development of a digital twin of the Arctic operational environment performance under genuine Arctic conditions. This will enable organizations to test their systems, concepts, and decisions in a credible Arctic environment before committing to physical deployment, ultimately reducing risks, accelerating learning, and avoiding costly or dangerous surprises in the field.
A recurring theme throughout the forum was that future defense capabilities will depend on strong collaboration across government, military, industry, and research environments. LeValley and Solem both emphasized the importance of clear communication between defense authorities and industry, while Nergård underscored the value of cooperation between researchers and technology developers. Close collaboration between Norway, the United States, and industrial partners remains essential to ensuring innovation, operational relevance, and long-term strategic resilience.
In partnership with the US Commercial Service, the Defense Forum supports US defense industry partners in Norway. Key Patron-level and defense industry representatives gather quarterly to forge enhanced public-private sector collaboration – sharing insights, developments, and trends to secure long-term transatlantic bonds.
Please contact amcham@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.
AmCham Defense Forum: AmCham Defense Forum: Perspectives on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Developments and Capabilities In collaboration with the US Commercial Service, the year’s second
AmCham Defense Forum: Uncertainty Becomes Certainty In collaboration with the US Commercial Service, AmCham hosted the first Defense Forum of the year at Thon Hotel
AmCham Defense Forum: Alliances & Innovation for Tomorrow’s Security In collaboration with the US Commercial Service, AmCham’s latest Defense Forum was hosted by Cisco, where
KONGSBERG har signert en kontrakt for levering av ytterligere JSM-missiler til det amerikanske luftforsvaret. Kontrakten har en verdi på rundt 2,7 milliarder kroner.
Leveransene forventes å være fullført innen utgangen av 2029. Joint Strike Missile (JSM) er et 5. generasjons missil, som kan bæres internt i F-35-flyet, og dermed beholde flyets egenskaper. JSM er valgt av Japan, Norge, Australia, Tyskland og USA.
Oslo, Norway – June 4, 2026 – Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO), a leader in bladder cancer diagnostics, today announced the signing and successful completion of its acquisition of Vesica Health, a U.S. established precision diagnostics company advancing AssureMDx, a urine-based molecular test for the early detection of bladder cancer, in a transaction designed to expand Photocure’s position across the bladder cancer care continuum.
Read more.
Chairman Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen, and Members of the Committee:
I am honored to appear before you as the nominee for United States Ambassador to
the Kingdom of Norway. I am deeply grateful to President Trump for the trust he
has placed in me with this nomination. If confirmed, I pledge to serve the
American people with diligence, fortitude, and integrity in this important post.
I also want to thank my family; my former colleagues in the CIA; my partners at
White & Case, my professional home for the last 40 years; and Senator Tom
Cotton. I appreciate their support throughout this process. Thanks as well to my
late parents, who made patriotism a core value in our home. And, finally, special
thanks to my wife, Jana. I would not be in this position without her. She will be
our best asset in Oslo if I am confirmed.
Overall responsibility for trade policy is now being consolidated in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The King in Council has today decided to transfer responsibility for bilateral trade agreements and EFTA negotiations with third countries from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, the Minister of Trade and Industry’s responsibility for business promotion is to be strengthened and more clearly defined.
AmCham recently hosted journalists, Vinmonopolet, and food and beverage industry representatives for a tasting of California, New York, and Oregon wines at The Thief hotel.
Member importers including Anora, Engelstad, Haugen-Gruppen, Palmer Group, Robert Prizelius, Signature Wines, Tramontane, VCT, and West Coast Wines showcased over 50 unique vintages currently available on the Norwegian market, alongside several newly launched products. Additionally, AmCham proudly presented three select wines not yet available in Norway.
Member company representatives enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and stunning views over the Oslo fjord from the hotel’s newly refurbished 9th floor rooftop. We extend a sincere thank you to General Manager Martin Andersen and his team for their warm hospitality and for providing such an incredible venue.
On May 24, 1976, nine French judges assembled in Paris for a blind tasting of 20 wines: six reds and six whites from California, and four reds from Bordeaux and four whites from Burgundy. All assumed the French would come out on top. Instead, a stunning consensus revealed the winners to be two wines from Napa Valley. The surprising verdict gave the California wine industry a burst of confidence – and in the 50 years since, the Judgment of Paris story has been told and retold. Books have been written and movies have been made!
Inspired by this legacy, our committee of member wine importers relishes every opportunity to share the rich history of US wines and showcase the diverse varietals and blends available today.
We look forward to future tastings with journalists, trade partners, and members alike!
For more information about upcoming tastings and US wine initiatives, please contact Madeleine at mb@amcham.no.
Through the collective strength of our Wine Committee, AmCham works to increase market share of US wines in Norway, addressing trade barriers, ensuring a favorable policy environment, and educating on critical wine industry issues. Increasing awareness and competence on varying US wine regions amongst industry professionals and consumers is a key priority.
AmCham members’ shared passion for US wines brings together business leaders across industries, bonding over a common interest and sets a stage for potential new partnerships and collaborations.
AmCham Journalist Wine Tasting: California, New York, & Oregon Wines Shine in Oslo! AmCham recently hosted journalists, Vinmonopolet, and food and beverage industry representatives for a tasting of California, New
AmCham recently hosted journalists, Vinmonopolet, and food and beverage industry representatives for a tasting of California, Washington, and Oregon wines at Oslo Handelsstands Forening‘s beautiful central Oslo offices.
AmCham and partners recently hosted journalists and Vinmonopolet representatives for a tasting of American wines at Park 29 in Oslo.
(Bloomberg) – Norway is putting pressure on the European Union to remove a moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic where almost two thirds of its petroleum resources lie.
Norwegian politicians, civil servants, and environmental and industry lobbyists are increasingly visiting Brussels to influence EU institutions as the bloc gears up to unveil a new Arctic policy by the end of September.
Norway, which never joined the EU, is Western Europe’s largest exporter of oil and gas, with production from the Norwegian Continental Shelf meeting roughly 30% of EU and UK gas demand.
“Norway is very active and good at making its voice heard,” EU’s special envoy for the Arctic, Claude Veron-Reville, said in an interview in Brussels on Wednesday. “Norway knows very well how to intervene, they are very well organized and very present,” she said.
So far this year, 11 ministers have visited Brussels from Norway, on business ranging from the Arctic to trade and from energy to space.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to reassure U.S. allies, a bipartisan group of senators is departing for a tour of Arctic nations. And this time they’re leaving the men behind.
From the eight senators to their staff and military liaison officers, the group will be entirely women as they pay diplomatic visits to government officials in four Arctic nations, witness the challenges for militaries in the region and visit a Norwegian archipelago so remote they will need escorts to avoid run-ins with polar bears.