DIG – staying focused and sharp
DIG have spent the past year focusing on its core areas of expertise and the defined grand challenges, AI for business and the silver economy, and we have made good progress.
This was the main message from the chair of DIG, CEO Rune Skjelvan of KPMG, as he addressed DIG Annual Meeting 2025. He continued to say that DIG is part of setting the agenda for the debate on adoption and implications of AI.
At Norway’s premier political festival, Arendalsuka, DIG’s events drew significant attention, with more than 500 attendees participating in two key sessions: “KI, innovasjon og verdiskaping” (AI-driven innovation and value creation) and “Bli med å finne det grå gullet” (The Silver Economy). Both events featured prominent politicians and business leaders, including former and current Ministers of Digitalization, Karianne Tung and Nicolay Astrup.
Newcomers to DIG
Director of DIG, Professor Bram Timmermans, said in his “State of the DIG union” that DIG have strengthened its research capacity in the past year, including a new professor of AI at the Department of Strategy and Management Aleksander Lundervold, associate professor Jialei Yang, assistant professor Jonas Hammerschmidt and PHD Candiate Erik Lang.
Assistant professor Jareef Bin Murtaza will take over the responsibility for the research area Consumer Psychology and Technologies, following Professor Helge Thorbjørnsen as he has just assumed the position as the new rector at NHH.
- Jareef will increase our expertise in behavioural economics and consumer behaviour. This strengthens the links between our grand challenges and specific research subjects.
Timmermans also announced that DIG will be one of the leading stakeholders in a new NHH AI-driven business innovation lab, to be opened in downtown Bergen, meant to encourage student entrepreneurship.
Elections to the board for 2025-2026
Three of the members of the board of DIG were up for elections at this year’s AGM.
This was:
- Elisabeth Melander Stene, SVP People and Communication, Telenor Nordic
- Ole Jacob Mosvold, Director growth and development, Virke
- Espen Sjøvoll, Director, DIGDIR
These were all re-elected to the board.
From the host institution, the rector Helge Thorbjørnsen will join the board, succeeding the former pro-rector, Malin Arve.
In addition to the re-elected members, the following are members of the board of DIG for the term August 2025 – August 2026:
- Rune Skjelvan of strategic partner KPMG remains chair of the board
- Simen Aasen Engebretsen of strategic partner Gjensidige
- Rector Helge Torbjørnsen and Director of Communications of External Relations, Geir Mikalsen both from the host institution NHH
- Verner Hølleland of research partner NTNU
Commenting after the re-election of the board, Rune Skjelvan said that going ahead DIG intend to attract new partners from business, but it also well positioned to do so. Adoption and implementation of AI is a field with great unfulfilled potential for many businesses and corporations in Norway, with much work still to be done, he added.
- DIG would like to thank the board for continuing their invaluable work, together with the research group and partners, to drive DIG forward towards ambitious goals of generating new knowledge that will help develop businesses and secure the welfare state, says Director Bram Timmermans in a comment.