NHST Media Group appoints new Group Chief People Officer

Helga Bollmann Leknes (48) has been appointed Chief People Officer of NHST Media Group, effective 17 August.

Leknes will join the Group Management of NHST Media Group and report to Group CEO Hege Yli Melhus Ask.

- Helga has a solid experience from strategic and operational HR as well as business leadership of large international corporations. Her competence and role will be very important to ensure the implementation of our ambitious plans for further development of our employees and the companies within NHST Media Group. We look very much forward to welcoming her to the team, says Melhus Ask.

Leknes has been both Chief HR Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of Norwegian Air Shuttle. She also has served as Executive Vice President with responsibility for HR and Communications of Kongsberg Automotive. Formerly, she has held international HR management positions at Aker Solutions, in addition to management positions within HR and IT at Scandinavian Airlines. Leknes joins NHST Media Group from a consulting position at Norwegian Block Exchange (NBX).

Leknes says she accepted the NHST job because she enjoys taking on challenges within a company undergoing significant change. Continued skills development and technology investments will be important for NHST going forward, in addition to increased cooperation and coordination of tasks across organizational units and geographical boundaries.

- I have followed NHST Media Group from the sidelines and am impressed with the organization's ability to turn around quickly and adapt to market changes. NHST has important journalistic missions, leading positions in all the markets in which it operates and employs some of the industry's most talented people. I look forward to joining the organization and contribute to increased employee satisfaction and profitable growth, Leknes says.

Leknes holds a Master in Management from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and has previously studied informatics, mathematics, and philosophy at the University of Oslo.

Leknes succeeds Helle Øverbye, who has accepted a senior management position at Innovation Norway.

- Helle has done a good and important job at NHST Media Group in a demanding period for the Group. We wish her the best of luck, says Melhus Ask.

Oslo, 4 August 2020

For further information, please contact:
CEO Hege Yli Melhus Ask: (+47) 414 42 952 (mobile)
Appointed Group Chief People Officer Helga Bollmann Leknes: (+47) 473 14 741 (mobile)