Over the past year, Export Credit Norway has established a local presence in three new countries: Brazil, Singapore and the USA. These are the individuals who will be representing Norwegian businesses in these markets.
“Our new local representatives will follow up existing projects and identify new opportunities in these markets. They will conduct early-stage monitoring of potential projects and gather relevant market information on behalf of both Export Credit Norway and Norwegian exporters,” says Olav Einar Rygg, Export Credit Norway’s EVP Director of Lending – Shipping and Offshore.
The three new local offices will be run in collaboration with Innovation Norway, which will also provide resource support.
Brazil
At the beginning of February last year, Export Credit Norway engaged its first permanent member of staff in a foreign market: Martin Nietz in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Nietz joined Innovation Norway as a project manager in July 2012, and specialises in energy and environmental matters. Before that, he was a commercial manager at Steag Energy Services do Brasil and a project manager at Inventure Management, a strategic consultancy firm serving international stakeholders in offshore industries wishing to enter the Brazilian market.
Singapore
Jeffrey Lai is Export Credit Norway’s new man in Singapore. He has extensive international experience as a senior maritime professional covering international sales, marketing, business development, procurement and product management. He is also an experienced consultant in providing business advisory services for start-ups and SMEs by assisting them in business growth, strategic planning and corporate development efforts. His key areas of expertise are oil and gas, the maritime sector and ICT.
USA
Norwegian exporters have a new partner in Houston, USA, in the form of Hans Inge Bollingmo.
Bollingmo started his career as an engineer at Reinertsen Engineering, and since then has worked for GE Transportation Finance, Eksportfinans ASA and Innovation Norway’s offices in Santiago, Miami and Houston.
“We invite and urge Norwegian exporters in all sectors to use our new local experts in Brazil, Singapore and the USA. Our local ambassadors Martin, Jeffrey and Hans Inge are ready to fight hard to win new contracts for Norwegian businesses,” concludes Olav Einar Rygg.
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