Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson is a Swedish journalist, moderator and program host focusing on sustainability. She is program host for We Don´t Have Time in collaboration with UNDP where she hosts online TV-broadcasts for audiences of up to 50 million people. She is also Content Director and moderator for A Sustainable Tomorrow and a TED-X speaker. Catarina has moderated for 20 years for a broad range of clients like the EU Commission, the Swedish government, international corporations, academia and for NGO´s. Her expertise is on all aspects of sustainability, but primarily climate action. Catarina has worked as a journalist since 1991, based in New York, Stockholm, Singapore and Malmö, Sweden. She has published 12 books in the field of sustainability and she lectures in Sweden as well as internationally. Catarina is co- founder of the international NGO “Our Kids´Climate” with groups in 23 countries. Her academic background is in political science, cultural science and journalism.
Public Affairs consultant, specializing in inward investment. Former Inward Investment Director for the City of Luleå and Chief Development Officer at The Node Pole, the Norrbotten region's former marketing and investment agency to attract data center investments to northern Sweden.
Working with regional development in one of the most interesting regions in the world is exciting. We are the frontrunner of the green transition. Our job is to co-finance projects and investments in businesses, culture, science and innovation and in our municipalities, bring different actors together in order get progress in a great variety of aeras and influence different stakeholder and those who holds power both nationally and in EU to make decisions that benefits the development of our region.
David Högnelid is a communications, sustainability, and business development executive that thrives in the cross section of disciplines to develop new opportunities. He believes the mining and minerals industry presents unrivalled opportunities to deliver value for society, the green transformation and shareholders alike. A key focus of his is to support the realisation of LKAB’s ReeMAP-project for production of phosphorus and REE from mine tailings.
CH2ESS is a research and knowledge initiative at Luleå University of Technology with a focus on hydrogen use in industrial processes and energy systems, in close collaboration with Swedish industry and global stakeholders. CH2ESS provides education, excellent demand driven research and accelerates the implementation of hydrogen in the society. Dr. Cecilia Wallmark has been active in the fuel cell and hydrogen area since 1999. Today she is seen as a central person within hydrogen in Sweden. Her experiences include research, industrial management, and stakeholder processes.
Fredrik is a driven entrepreneur within the energy sector and has spent the last 10 years developing large scale energy projects to create symbiotical solutions based on waste heat. Prior to founding WA3RM, Fredrik was an integral part of the team designing and securing the energy flows at ESS, where the world’s largest linear proton accelerator ever is being built.
Study manager with more than 7 years of experience in explorationn and mine development in Sweden. Trained Engineer in Natural Resources Technology from Luleå University and Applied Geology from Plymouth University. In 2016, Tom moved to Norrbotten from the UK, where he started his professional career at Talga and during the past 8 years worked in various leading roles in exploration, planning and permit process.
Daniel Kronheffer is the investment director responsible for all infrastructure and green transportation-related projects at Polar Structure AB. Daniel has 20+ years of experience of working with business development, mainly in the real estate industry but also including energy and infrastructure. Previous experience includes Newsec, Cushman & Wakefield, Fasticon, Alecta and Boston Consulting Group.
Stina will talk about the historic paradigm shift that is underway in Norrbotten when the industry is to become green and sustainable. The challenge is to make the industrial transformation, as well as a sustainable societal transformation. To cope with this, many parallel problems must be solved, and the population needs to grow with 100,000 people by the year 2035, from today's 250,000. The method for
reaching the goal has been to include all municipalities, both large and small, around a common process that has been designated as a social innovation,
Erik is an experienced business leader who has served as CEO since 2004 across various industries. His expertise spans sales, marketing, and leadership in the travel industry, sales and production technology in the printing industry, overseeing diverse operations with a large workforce in the media industry, and hands-on involvement in both large and small projects in the construction sector and as CEO for a real estate company. Additionally, he has operated as an independent consultant.
SSAB is a Nordic and US-based steel company. SSAB offers value added products and services developed in close cooperation with its customers to create a stronger, lighter and more sustainable world. SSAB has employees in over 50 countries. SSAB has production facilities in Sweden, Finland and the US. SSAB is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm and has a secondary listing on the NASDAQ OMX in Helsinki.
Fredrik Hansson is the Deputy Mayor of Luleå Municipality since 2020. Deputy Mayor Hansson is focusing his work on creating sustainable growth in Luleå and also to increase housing construction. Mr. Hansson has been active in politics and the Social Democratic Party for over 20 years. He holds a degree in political science and have also studied sociology. Before becoming a full-time politician, he ran his own business for many years and worked as an evaluation consultant.
Claes Nordmark is the Mayor of Boden Municipality since 2018 and the Chairman of the board of the Municipalities of Norrbotten since 2020. He is also a member of the board of Hanaholmen, the Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre based in Helsinki. Mayor Nordmark is convinced that the Green Industrial Revolution that has started in Northern Sweden will gain the whole world and his focus is to make it go all the way thru. He has experience from national politics, such as working four years as a political advisor at the Ministry for Enterprise and Innovation.
Birgitta Larsson is the Mayor of Gällivare Municipality since 2019. She has extensive experience of political work in Gällivare. Mayor Larsson is working to create the conditions for the green transition in Gällivare and the northern of Sweden.
Arctic Food Arena is exploring the potential of diversified circular food production in the North of Sweden including the innovative use of residuals like waste heat from green industries. The project is building a network of committed people and facilitating diverse collaborations to co-create the reshaping of the food system in the arctic. Laura comes to Gällivare from Canada originally, drawn to Sweden for its openness to new ideas and sustainable innovation. She is excited about innovation of all kinds that is fostered with new challenges- like growing food in an arctic climate.
CEO of Invest in Norrbotten with over a decade experience of fostering economic opportunities, attracting investments and sustainable and long-term regional development in the Norrbotten region
Matilda Machacek is the Vice President of Offshore Wind Development in the Nordics at RWE Renewables Sweden. She has nearly 20 years of experience in global Energy & Power. She has worked on one of the worlds largest offshore wind projects as head of operations & safety, and previously been the Director of Equinor Wind in the UK. At RWE, she manages the Nordic Offshore Wind development department. RWE is the second largest offshore wind operator in the world, operating 19 offshore wind farms globally and is world leading in new offshore technologies as floating foundations and hydrogen. RWE built and now operates one of only two offshore wind farms in Sweden, located in Kårehamn outside Öland
Henrik Henriksson is CEO of H2 Green Steel, a company investing in a large-scale facility for production of green steel in Boden. Before that, Henriksson was President and CEO of Scania, where he led the shift towards more sustainable transport systems, based on his conviction that companies must transform to sustainable solution to survive, and that there is no contradiction between sustainability and profitability. Henriksson is a Board Member of AB Electrolux, Creades AB and SAAB AB. Henriksson is also author of the book Sustainability Leadership - A Swedish Approach to Transforming your Company, your Industry and the World.
Monika Sammelin is the General Manager for LKAB in Malmberget, spearheading the operations and driving its development by establishing a robust foundation and a clear roadmap ahead. The Malmberget region is at the forefront of transitioning to a fossil-free production, setting the pace for the entire company.
Konsthall Tornedalen is an arts-institution under construction in Vitsaniemi, a village just south of the arctic circle next to the Torne river where 63 people live. Konsthall Tornedalen will be a unique institution in an incomparable location and include an art gallery, hotel, restaurant and shop.
Ringborg was previously artistic director at Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm. He has worked internationally and nationally, has been responsible for numerous exhibitions and publications and has been a writer for several of the world's most reputable art magazines. Ringborg is considered one of the most important voices in the art field and has been listed as one of the art-world’s most influential people. In 2019, he completed his PhD at Goldsmiths University, London. Ringborg now lives in Hedenäset with his family.
With a passion for innovation and sustainability, Rikard has over 15 years in built spaces. He's committed to transforming our societal spaces, advocating for dynamic buildings that elevate architectural impressions and evolve with time.
Ulf Westerberg is a certified innovation leader who has worked within Piteå Science Park for the past 8 years. He likes to be an enabler of new and bold ideas – for tomorrow's entrepreneurship and to support companies that want to innovate and grow. Focus today is new products from the forest industry value chain as well as the transformation of the energy system, including e-fuels and bio-fuels. System perspective is a favorite word.
Luleå Energi, a municipally owned energy group positioned in the very center of the great energy transition in the north. Malin has a background in the mining, steel, and automotive industry. Her journey in the energy sector began in 2008, and she has been the CEO of Luleå Energi since 2020. Today, Malin leads the group in one of the most progressive and eventful times ever. If you ask her, she has one of the most exciting jobs in Sweden.
Björn is building the hydrogen infrastructure business within Nordion Energi(an energy infrastructure company - gas TSO, gas DSO and electricity DSO).A strong team is already in place taking the lead in planning and developing for execution,to have underground pipeline in operation by the end of 2028.
Björn has close to 30 years’ experience from industrial gases and B2B, mainly within Europe. Green transition based on building local, regional and national value, is the key driver for him.
Mikael Nordlander joined Vattenfall in 2001 and has held various position in R&D and business development. He has had different responsibilities in strategic projects, mostly in Northern Europe. Since 2016, Mikael is leading Vattenfall’s work on decarbonisation of industrial processes in partnership with large companies, e.g. the HYBRIT project for fossil-free steel with SSAB and LKAB. He holds a MSc degree in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics from Linköping University and a post graduate diploma in Strategy and Innovation from Oxford. He is a fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.
Long experience in waste management and energy sectors. International experience from E.ON within onshore wind construction, biomethane production and environmental compliance.
Chana Svensson is a lawyer and entrepreneur from the U.S., who now lives in Luleå, Sweden. After moving to northern Sweden in 2021 from Florida, Chana co-founded MindDig, a talent attraction and recruitment platform, focused on bringing the best and brightest minds to the employers of Arctic Europe that are striving to decarbonize multiple industrial processes, from steel, to mining, to batteries. MindDig is the world’s first collaborative recruitment system that aims to help the greenest companies in the world find the talent they need to save our planet.
Pär Weihed is since six years Pro Vice Chancellor of Luleå University of Technology, where he since 1996 has been a professor in ore geology. Weihed obtained his PhD from University of Gothenburg in 1992 and spent 10 years with the Geological Survey of Sweden in the role of state geologist and head of production. Weihed was also for a short period, 2017-2018, Head of Department at the Department of Engineering Sciences at Uppsala University. Pär Weihed has for over 35 years worked closely with exploration companies and held various board assignments, currently with the company Botnia Exploration. Pär Weihed has published over 200 scientific papers concerning ores in the area of the Fennoscandian shield and has had assignments for a number of different committees within the Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), where he is an elected member, and the National Committee for Geology within the Royal Academy of Sciences (KVA).
Övertorneå is a place where small town charm meets big values. Dedicated to ensuring residents enjoy their lives and newcomers feel warmly welcomed from the outset. It is a community that believes in fostering a spirit that prioritizes care and connection. By initiating the "How was your week?" project, where feedback from 400 residents weekly serves as a cornerstone for developing strategies, Ida aims to enhance Övertorneå's appeal, making it an even more attractive choice for everyone.
Lhyfe, a pioneer in green hydrogen production, is now scaling up its operations in Sweden. We want to build local value chains where also our by-products such as residual heat and oxygen could benefit tomato/fish farming and reoxygenation of the Baltics. Lhyfe is the first in the world to operate an offshore hydrogen plant - we believe large-scale offshore is the future of hydrogen production. With extensive experience within the energy and fuel markets, Sara believes hydrogen is an essential part of the future green energy system.
Per Grankvist is the inquisitive journalist who has become known for his ability to explain things in an understandable way. Since 2019, he has been working at Viable Cities, Sweden's largest publicly funded innovation program, where he has developed frameworks for explaining the sustainable future in a way that counteracts ideological conflicts and creates consensus around the transition in Swedish cities.
Leading RWE’s entry steps into the emerging Swedish hydrogen market Robin works closely with his colleagues in both the RWE on and offshore teams, striving to realise the full meaning of ‘value chain coverage’. With more years’ experience in the renewable energy industry than he cares to remember Robin has worked within project development and business development areas.
Tobias is a seasoned entrepreneur deeply committed to advancing the infrastructure and real estate sectors. As the CEO and founder of Polar Structure AB since 2019, he has positioned the company at the forefront of developing resilient and sustainable infrastructure critical for tomorrow’s society. Polar Structure adopts a comprehensive investment approach, focusing on sustainable transport, green energy, and advanced digital solutions, tackling traditional infrastructure challenges like railway maintenance and energy distribution. Their operations emphasize the transformation of harbors, railways, and energy grids, promoting a sustainable shift in both private and public sectors. Before leading Polar Structure, Tobias co-founded Randviken Fastigheter, steering it to significant growth over six years. He also serves on the board of Heba Fastighets AB, providing strategic guidance and further enriching his impact on the industry.
Roger Hansson is Head of region north at WA3RM, a company with a rapidly scalable solution for capturing and reusing industrial waste streams for production of commodities and food. Roger drives the work of realizing large-scale food production up north by tapping into waste streams
from the booming industrial sector.
With a background in the energy sector. Served as an industry expert in governmental inquiries and held leadership positions, including CEO and Vice CEO, across various organisations. Also experienced chairperson for research programs and international cooperation groups. In his current role, the primary focus is on fostering collaboration with public owners.
Sara is an engineer in materials science from Luleå University of Technology, but has devoted the last twelve years of her professional life to environmental permit and sustainability issues in the industry, specifically wind power and steel. Sara has a strong drive to contribute to the green transition, and thrives in the borderland between technology, people and the environment. Today, she is responsible for the permit processes for SSAB's transformation to fossil-free steel production in Luleå and Raahe, projects that will reduce Sweden's and Finland's carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 7 percent each.
Business Developer, Energy Intensive Industries, with main focus on energy systems and establishment of energy intensive industries. Also project coordinator for business-related development projects linked to the green transition.
Anders is renewable energy and infrastructure financing professional and has 10+ years of experience in originating, analyzing, negotiating, and structuring renewable energy assets. Export credits and international non-recourse finance are key focus areas. Before joining EIFO, Anders worked in the structured and project finance dept of HSH Nordbank.
Fredrik Hemborg is managing director of Lindbäcks Projektutveckling, part of the Lindbäck Group, one of the leading companies in industrial production of multi familybuildings. Fredrik has over 25 years of experience of various leading positions within construction and real estate development. With a strong belief that the needed sustainable development of our build environment requires both innovation and collaboration, Fredrik is committed to increase the productivity in the construction sector, creating attractive homes for the many with less climate impact.
Niclas is a seasoned tech professional with over 20 years of experience in infrastructure and technology. His international career spans technology consulting, infrastructure management, and the telecom sector. Currently, Niclas holds a key role at Telia, where he focuses on enabling secure digital infrastructure for both enterprises and public sector. Armed with an MSc in Informatics and Business Administration from Jönköping International Business School, Niclas combines technical expertise with strategic insights to drive innovation and resilience in the digital landscape.
Demo North Summit is founded and operated by Invest in Norrbotten partly as an activity in an EU project called “Hållbara Investeringar”. Invest in Norrbotten is the agency established to attract international investors and capital to the Norrbotten region, as well as helping local companies expand by finding the right overseas partners to assist their growth. We support companies planning to establish or expand business in our region. and with our wide network of local, regional and national business contacts, we ensure a smooth and swift investment process for your company. Naturally, all our services are free of charge and conducted with full confidentiality.
You can read more about us at www.investinnorrbotten.se
Frida Ekeström
Project Manager
frida@investinnorrbotten.se
+46 70 219 38 17
Malin Ekblom
Inward Investment Manager
malin@investinnorrbotten.se
+4670 777 78 49
Demo North is an initiative by Invest in Norrbotten. You can read more about us at www.investinnorrbotten.se
