About us

Executive committee

Vår Energi is led by six experienced leaders. They represent a wide range of skills and knowledge from extensive careers in the oil- and gas industry.

The CEO is responsible for developing the Vår Energi’s strategies, execute board-approved strategies, and the day-to-day management of the Company as leader of the Executive Committee (EC). The EC consists of

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO),
Executive vice president (EVP) for People & Communication
Executive vice president (EVP) for Safety & Sustainability
Executive vice president (EVP) for Legal & Compliance.

COO shall deliver safe, sustainable and efficient exploration, development and production and asset strategies for optimised performance and value creation. CFO, and EVP’s of Safety & Sustainability, People & Communication and Legal & Compliance develop and maintain our corporate frameworks. They shape, safeguard, enable and monitor performance of Vår Energi.

Nick Walker

CEO

Nick Walker is the Chief Executive Officer of Vår Energi and leads the Company’s strategy, market engagement and stakeholder management.

Mr. Walker held the position of CEO of the leading European E&P independent Lundin Energy until mid-2022 when he led the sale of the Company to AkerBP. He has also previously worked with BP, Talisman Energy, Africa Oil and Vedanta – Cairn Oil & Gas and has over 30 years of international oil and gas experience in technical, commercial and executive leadership roles.

Mr. Walker holds degrees in Mining Engineering from Imperial College London, Computer Science from University College London as well as an MBA from City University Business School, London.

Torger Rød

COO

Torger Rød is the Chief Operating Officer of Vår Energi. Mr. Rød joined the company in June 2021, as CEO, and was responsible for listing the company at the Oslo Stock exchange as well as the Neptune acquisition. He took the position as COO in September 2023.

Previously, he was with Equinor for 23 years (including 11 years in executive positions), both in Norway and internationally. Most recently, he served as SVP and Head of Corporate Safety and Security, and prior to that role, he was SVP and Head of Project Development.

Mr. Rød holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Economics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.

Carlo Santopadre

CFO

Carlo Santopadre is Vår Energi’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Santopadre has over 15 years of experience in the industry, primarily with the Italian energy major, Eni SpA. He has held various senior finance roles in Eni Head Office and subsidiaries across North Africa, the Middle East, and West Africa. Prior to joining Eni he worked for KPMG.

Santopadre has a master degree in corporate finance from the LUISS Guido Carli University.

Ellen Waldeland Hoddell

EVP Safety & Sustainability

Ellen Waldeland Hoddell serves as Executive Vice President Safety & Sustainability of Vår Energi. Ms. Hoddell has 15 years of experience within the oil and gas industry in Norway. She has held several positions within the area of Sustainability and Safety within Eni Norge and Vår Energi, including risk and barrier management, technical and operational safety and emergency preparedness and response.

Ms Hoddell graduated with a master’s degree in Risk Management and Societal Safety from the University of Stavanger in 2010.

Tone Rognstad

EVP People & Communication

Tone Rognstad is the Executive Vice President for People & Communication. She joined the company in 2022 and comes from the role as VP for Project Management and Control in Equinor ASA. During her 15 years as an executive in Equinor ASA, she gained extensive managerial experience within the field of people, leadership and organisational development. She held roles in corporate, shared services and the business areas.

Prior to joining Equinor ASA, Ms. Rognstad held various executive leadership positions in General Electric, both in Norway and internationally, within the areas of marketing, risk and operations. Ms. Rognstad holds a bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from BI Norwegian Business School.

Sverre Bjelland

EVP Legal & Compliance

Sverre Bjelland is the Executive Vice President Legal & Compliance of Vår Energi. Mr Bjelland has 20 years of experience within the oil and gas industry in Norway. He joined the company in april 2024 and comes from the role as partner in Schjødt AS and Head of the Oil, Gas and Offshore Energy Group.

Previous experience includes Assistant Director General in the petroleum law and legal affairs section in the Ministry of Energy as well as VP in Statoil’s (now Equinor) legal department, with responsibility for Development and Production Norway in one period and subsequently for Marketing, Processing and Renewable.

Sverre Bjelland holds a law degree as cand.jur from the University of Bergen.

Leadership principles

Leadership in Vår Energi means driving success by providing direction, inspiration and empowering people. Thereby building trust and high performing teams.

Mastering leadership of both people, tasks and disciplines is essential for us.

Our leadership principles are:

Acknowledge the facts
Set direction and create purpose
Engage for action and empower for solutions
Solve for totality
Invite, involve, include

We continuously work to develop and maintain highly competent leaders who strive to obtain our business targets and company vision.

Governing bodies

The foundation for Vår Energi’s governance structure is Norwegian law, and the General Meeting is the company’s supreme body. The Board of Directors has overriding responsibility for managing Vår Energi and supervising the company’s operations and business in general.