Hilde Hukkelberg is passionate about the UK market
Name: Hilde Hukkelberg
Background: Former diplomat and special adviser, with postings in the US and the UK. She has worked closely with leading innovation communities in Silicon Valley, the UK and Europe, and helped establish our Tech City Executive Accelerator (TEA) in London.
Current position: Head of our London office
Number of employees at the office: 9
What is the most important role of our international offices?
To create value for Norway by encouraging more companies to explore opportunities in global markets and by promoting Norway. When the companies succeed, we succeed.
Are there any specific sectors we focus on in the UK and Ireland?
We support a wide range of sectors, with a particular focus on tourism, smart societies and helping Norway's leading growth companies scale.
What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on during your time as head of the office?
We have an impressive portfolio of customers that we really enjoy working with. Our aim is always to increase the companies' visibility and accelerate their growth, with the ultimate goal of helping Norwegian teams achieve major breakthroughs. For Norway, this means more jobs and stronger innovation and scaling capabilities that can be applied to new opportunities. The most rewarding project is always the next one!
What is the purpose of the TEA accelerator programme, and who is it for?
TEA (Tech Executive Accelerator) was launched in London in 2013 to build a portfolio of Norwegian technology companies capable of attracting global attention. TEA is designed for more mature scale-ups, and several of Norway's fastest-growing technology companies have taken part. The programme explores opportunities in digitalisation, new business models, raising capital and accelerating scale-up. It focuses particularly on the rise of artificial intelligence and industrial IoT, which connect data in innovative ways and enable platform-based business models (as-a-service models).
Over the past three years, we have worked with several large Norwegian companies that recognise the benefits of digitalising their operations: reducing costs, making operations more predictable, cutting emissions and creating growth through new business areas. These include Tomra, Equinor, Cognite (AKER), DNB, Telenor and EVRY. The pace of global change is rapid, and we have continuously explored new ways to unlock the programme's potential.
Do Norwegian companies have any advantages in the UK market?
Norwegian products are generally of high quality, and Norwegian companies are reliable and collaborative. Norway is the UK's twelfth-largest trading partner, and our energy partnership is particularly important. Both Norway and the UK have committed to ambitious climate and sustainability targets for 2030. The UK can benefit greatly from Norwegian technology, while Norway can draw on the UK's expertise and products in 'green finance'. This will be one of the topics discussed at COP26, which will be held in Scotland in 2021. For Norwegian companies, London offers direct access to a global trading hub. Its financial and tech infrastructure and talent attract many global players.
What does Brexit mean for Norwegian exporters? What challenges do companies already exporting to the UK face, and how will it affect those considering the UK as a market?
Brexit creates uncertainty. It is important for your business to stay up to date on changes to trade procedures, the movement of labour and any contractual adjustments. I recommend reviewing the information available from the Norwegian and UK authorities, the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) and us at Innovation Norway. The flow of goods, particularly across the border between the UK and France, is expected to face significant delays from 1 January. Norway and the UK have strong trade relations that both parties should seek to maintain. I am confident that the situation will settle into a sensible arrangement relatively quickly. Covid-19 is likely to have a greater impact on both travel and trade than Brexit.
How is the pandemic affecting your office operations?
The signs that Covid-19 would pose significant challenges emerged earlier here than in Norway, and we quickly put contingency measures in place to protect our employees as effectively as possible. Since then, our focus has been on supporting customers and partners. Industries are being affected in different ways, and the situation is particularly acute for the tourism industry. At the same time, several promising Norwegian tech companies we work with have performed well despite the restrictions caused by the pandemic.
What do you think Norway needs to do to succeed as an exporting nation when oil and gas are no longer our main exports?
There are many competitors, and to hold our own among the leading export nations, we need to develop talent with specialised, relevant expertise, particularly in technical fields. Norwegian companies must also have the ambition, focus and knowledge to grow internationally. Ultimately, our ability to market and sell competitive services and products will largely determine whether Norway can create a new export success story.
What are the key priorities for our London office going forward?
Over the next five years, we will work with our customers, owners and colleagues to deliver on an ambitious export mission. This will include a range of marketing activities, and I invite anyone with ambitions who is curious about what lies ahead to get in touch with us.