Interview with Gunnar Børte – new CEO at Equipnor

Name: Gunnar Børte
Position: CEO at Equipnor
Start: 1. August

Gunnar Børte started in the position as CEO of Equipnor AS – a company in the NFM Group – the 1th of August. Equipnor AS is specialized in personal equipment and solutions for the Armed Forces and Police in Norway.

In this interview you can get to know Gunnar a little better.

I am 42 years old and live in Oslo. I have a bachelor’s degree in Military Studies with a specialization in Leadership from the Norwegian Military Academy. I also have a master’s degree in Business and Administration from the University of Tromsø.

I worked in the Norwegian Army for 16 years and had four deployments to Afghanistan. I had different roles on each deployment and the last was as Chief of Staff/Second in Command of the Norwegian Police Advisory Team. My final deployment was to Lithuania as a Company Commander and Senior National Representative in a multinational Battalion task group led by Germany. The majority of my career in the military was in the Telemark Battalion.

From officer to civilian. Why? 

Working in the Army was a great experience, but I wanted to expand my horizon in the private sector. I have been an officer in the military and led units, and I wanted to test these skills in the corporate world.

After commuting for 16 years in the Army, it was also good to have more time home in Oslo.

When I left the Army, I worked at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace as a Business Development Manager for four years. This was a very interesting position, and I learned a lot from highly skilled colleagues. I am also thankful for the lasting friendships I have developed in both the Army and in Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

Why NFM? 

I have always used equipment from NFM – ballistic vests – so I have been familiar with the company and the quality of the products for many years.

When I heard about the available position as CEO in Equipnor, it immediately caught my attention. I really enjoyed my position in Kongsberg, but I was ready to take on more responsibilities.

The enormous expansion of NFM over the past years has fascinated me. The people, the vision and the drive are so impressive that I could not miss out on an opportunity to be a part of this.

What advice would you give to a “younger you”?

Hard work beats talent

What is important in your daily routine?

Physical activity

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a leader?

As an officer in the Army, one of the most important challenges is always to understand the operational environment and ensure shared situational awareness throughout the unit. This is also applicable to the business sector.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I dedicate a lot of time for work, because I’m committed and want to develop the unit or the company I work with. But I try to set aside time to do the things enjoy outside of work, like reading, hunting, skiing and using the gym.

FUN FACT

I have been skydiving about 12 times, but I’m afraid of heights.