Six CEOs have cracked the innovation code
Executive seminar from the studio of Dagens Næringsliv
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We invited six CEOs from leading Norwegian companies to the studio of Dagens Næringsliv to share why their companies have succeeded with innovation. They have in common that they have placed people and their needs at the centre of their innovation focus and thus grew with new products and services that have a thriving market fit.
Businesses that do not innovate - die. But how do you organise your business to create innovation? And how do you ensure that your innovative solutions meet real market needs and are technologically feasible and commercially viable?
Summed up? Users, data, culture, autonomy, and trust.
So summed up, what are the five key takeaways from the six CEOs? We got insight from three incumbent companies and three that were born digital.
Know your users. If you are going to succeed with a market fit, you must be user-centric. You must know your users, speak with your users, and you must measure and analyse as you learn.
Use data. It is vital to have an updated picture of what your market looks like to deliver fast enough to your customers.
Innovation culture. Cater for a trusting culture where it is safe to fail early, a culture where it is encouraged to test out ideas early to learn and evolve.
Autonomous teams. Create independent teams to run innovation projects. Trust your teams to find the right balance between technology, design and business development that they see fits the market needs.
Trust-based leadership. Be invested in what your employees are working with. Celebrate your successes as you proceed, from milestones in the innovation projects to removing technical debt.
See the recording Fremtidens Virksomhet - Innovasjonskoden here. The recording is 45 minutes long, with a 4-minute introduction and then two panel-discussions of 20 minutes each. It is all in Norwegian.
Whom will you learn from?
Anette Urhamar from Sopra Steria introduces the seminar in a dialogue with Ulla Sommerfelt, the CEO in EGGS, who shares three critical aspects of innovation: openness, acceptance of uncertainty, and collaboration.
Innovating incumbents
In the first panel discussion, three established companies shared how they succeeded in developing and launching innovations parallel to managing the core business.
Daniel Frøyland is the CEO of Gjensidige Mobility Group, a spin-off from the insurance company Gjensidige and a company that aims to take a leading role in the future mobility market.
Kjersti H. Hobøl is the CEO of Nille, a Norwegian retail store selling interior products for special occasions and holiday celebrations. Kjersti is known for her work transforming struggling retail stores into commercial success.
Carl Aaby is the CEO of the furniture giant IKEA Norway. Carl has extensive global experience from positions in IKEA in Japan, Austria and the Netherlands.
In the second panel discussion, three CEOs from three highly successful companies born in the digital era share how they work with continuous innovation.
Elisabeth Marie Myhre is the CEO of Foodora Norway. She was awarded the organisational developer of the year and came second in E24’s leader talent award. Foodora is one of Norway's largest one-line food delivery platforms.
Kristin Thornes Woldsdal is the CEO of Oda, Norway’s largest online grocery store. According to Financial Times, Oda is one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies.
Øyvind Birkenes is the CEO of Airthings, a global tech company that develops and sells smart radon and indoor air quality sensors. Øyvind’s experience has positioned him as a thought leader within the tech industries in Norway.
The seminar was a collaboration between Sopra Steria and EGGS. EGGS became a part of Sopra Steria in 2021.
