The Lehmkuhl Lecture is an annual event at NHH in honour of the school's "founding father" Kristofer Lehmkuhl. This Years lecturer is President of The Norwegian Football Federation, Lise Klaveness. Through stories, experiences and thoughts, she will touch upon dilemmas leaders in the world of football administration face in 2023.
Lawyer and former top-level footballer Lise Klaveness (b. 1981) is the president of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), a position she was elected to in March 2022 as the first woman in the organisation's 120-year history.
Shortly after being elected NFF president, Lise Klaveness made an impact during FIFA's Congress in Doha, Qatar in March 2022. On behalf of the Norwegian football community she gave a speech arguing that the international football community should do more to help migrant workers in Qatar, more to protect LGBTQ+ supporters at the World Cup, more to make the global game welcoming to all. She also criticised the process leading up to Qatar being given the World Cup.
The speech carried additional risk for Klaveness. She is married to a woman, and LGBT people in Qatar experience legal persecution.
The Norwegian foundation Fritt Ord later awarded Klaveness the Fritt Ord Honorary Award for the speech. She also won several other awards for her contributions in addressing human rights, gender equality and transparency in football, and Norwegian newspapers VG and Dagbladet both had her as their “Name of the year” in 2022.
Klaveness has a law degree specialising in employment law and has worked both as an attorney and as a deputy judge. Before being elected president, Klaveness was director of elite football in NFF from 2018.
Her senior football career lasted from 1997 til 2012 with well over 200 games. She played for five of the top clubs in Norway and Umeå in Sweden, and has won the league and the Cup in both countries. She was named player of the year in “Toppserien” in 2008 and was top scorer in 2010 with 21 goals in 22 matches.
Klaveness has 73 caps for Norway’s national team, including games in two World Cups and a European championship. After her active career she worked as a football pundit and commentator for NRK.
Sources: NFF, Wikipedia, The Guardian
Statsråd (Cabinet Minister) Kristofer Lehmkuhl (1855-1949) was an untiring champion for NHH. Perhaps more than anyone else he had the honour of ensuring that NHH became established, and right up to his death he followed the activity of the school with a never weakening interest. He is therefore rightfully called the 'Father of the school'.
NHH has honoured Kristofer Lehmkuhl's memory by holding an annual lecture in his name for students, academic staff and invited guests. The lecture is held as close as possible to Kristofer Lehmkuhl's birthday, 26 September.
A statue stands to the memory of Statsråd Lehmkuhl in front of the main building of the school, looking over the sea towards the harbour of Bergen where the sailing training vessel bearing his name is based.
FORMER LEHKMUHL LECTURES
(the main part of the lectures were held in Norwegian)
Watch recent Lehmkuhl Lectures on NHH's Youtube channel
(Updated with the 2023 lecture)