«We are incredibly delighted that Inger Lise has accepted the role of programme director at ONS. She brings in a truly unique background and expertise. Moreover, her experience in agriculture and food production gives us new insights into how energy intersects with all aspects of our society,» says ONS Director, Leif Johan Sevland.

Inger Lise Rettedal has many years of experience from Statoil, now Equinor, as a Chief Information Officer for global procurement and in roles related to community and government relations. She also has broad political experience at local, regional, and national levels. Additionally, she has studied and worked in brand management and innovation. In 2015, she quit the office life and fully committed to farming and building the brand Klostergarden. Since then, the lamb meat from the farm in Utstein outside Stavanger has ended up in many Michelin-starred restaurants around the country.

Food and energy

Nevertheless, she has managed to maintain a strong connection with the energy world and has been involved in shorter engagements and project work for ONS since 2016. During ONS 2022, she was in charge of the ONS Summit, a roundtable conference for executives, thinkers, and decision-makers on energy security, geopolitics, and climate. ONS Summit is organized in collaboration with the Munich Security Conference.

«I am incredibly fortunate to work with both food and energy – two of the most important things in life. I love working on the farm, where we provide people with food and experiences, constantly have new projects, and where the work never ends. At the same time, it is a great privilege to be able to work with world-leading environments and international issues in energy and security. ONS has exciting development opportunities and has become an increasingly important arena for discussions that drive the world forward,» says Rettedal.

Broader meaning of energy

For ONS, and for Rettedal, the connection between energy, nature, society, and security will be particularly important. As part of exploring the broader meaning of energy, people such as Alzbeta Klein, the head of the International Fertilizer Association, were on stage during ONS 2022. Elon Musk and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, were also among the speakers. The 50th anniversary of ONS is in 2024, and programme development is already well underway.

«It is precisely the broader meaning of energy that will be crucial going forward. The role of natural forces, the way we utilize resources on earth, and our growing awareness of how things are interconnected are essential. We must ensure a transition that is not only sustainable but also just,» says Rettedal.

Rettedal has been serving as the acting programme director since the position opened up in spring 2023 and is now continuing fully in the role.

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