Speakers – Nordic Buy Out Forum 2026
Explore the profiles of the distinguished speakers at Nordic Buy Out Forum 2026 — leading investors, business executives, and analysts sharing their perspectives on the latest developments in the buyout market.
Further confirmed speakers will be announced in due course.
Jens Stoltenberg
The Norwegian Minister of Finance
Jens Stoltenberg is the Norwegian Minister of Finance in the Støre Government and has previously held a number of key roles in Norwegian politics, including as leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister for two terms.
From 2014 to 2024, he served as Secretary General of NATO, before returning to Norwegian politics in 2025 as Minister of Finance.
Christian Bamberger Bro
Managing Partner, Axcel
Christian Bamberger Bro is Managing Partner at Axcel and based in Copenhagen. He is focused on investments in the Technology sector and has led more than 10 investments including Conscia, Loopia, SuperOffice, emagine and itm8.
Prior to joining Axcel in 2014, he was with Permira in London and Stockholm, and before that he spent several years with McKinsey & Company and Nordea Corporate Finance in Copenhagen.
Christian Bamberger Bro holds an MSc in Economics and Management from Aarhus University.
Magnus Grimeland
Founder and CEO, Antler
Magnus Grimeland is the founder and CEO of Antler, the world’s most active early-stage investor, backing exceptional people at the very start of their journey—and supporting them from inception to scale. PitchBook ranked Antler as the most active VC globally, Dealroom recognized the firm as the most active investor in AI startups.
Before Antler, Magnus co-founded Zalora, took the company from zero to Asia’s leading fashion e-commerce platform, and then helped scale Global Fashion Group across 26 markets. He is a Harvard graduate, a former McKinsey partner, and served in the Norwegian Naval Special Forces.
Jayne Zecha
Senior Partner & Head of UK Private Equity Practice,
Bain & Company
Jayne has extensive experience supporting financial sponsors throughout the investment lifecycle, from pre-deal due diligence to post-acquisition value creation. She also contributes to Bain’s thought leadership on investing in Tech, Data and Media companies, including generative AI, software, data trends and the technology outlook for financial investors in EMEA.
In portfolio and corporate work, she supports Tech, Data and Media companies in their growth ambitions – through future back growth strategies and transformations in everything from product, R&D, commercial excellence and marketing, and customer service.
Jayne is also an Investment Committee member for Bain’s Future Back Venture fund, and regularly sources and evaluates up and coming start-ups, including many AI-native players.
Jayne holds a BA in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Grete Rød
Senior Partner & Head of the Oslo Office,
Bain & Company
Grete Rød is a Senior Partner at Bain & Company and Head of Bain’s Oslo office. She specializes in private equity, with a focus on integrated due diligence and investor-related strategy across the full deal lifecycle.
Grete has advised a broad range of leading Nordic and international investors – including a variety of Nordic PE funds, as well as corporations across sectors including industrials, aquaculture, software and tech-enabled B2B services. She leads Bain’s industrial and B2B services sector within Bain’s EMEA private equity practice.
She holds an MBA in Finance and Strategy from MIT Sloan School of Management and a BA in Economics and International Studies from Colby College.
Allon Groth
CEO, Norwegian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (NVCA)
Allon Groth is the CEO of the Norwegian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (NVCA). Groth was previously chief communications officer in Eksfin, GIEK and Norfund, served as a diplomat and has degree in political science from the University of Oxford.
Anne Lise E. Gryte
Partner and Head of Corporate, Wiersholm
Anne Lise E. Gryte is a partner and head of Wiersholm’s Corporate Department. She focuses on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, corporate governance and corporate and securities law matters. She has represented numerous public and private entities and investment banks in a variety of industries and transactions, including IPOs, domestic and cross-border transactions, investments, spin-offs, private equity transactions, public takeovers and capital markets transactions.
Harald Hellebust
Partner and Chairman of the Board, Wiersholm
Harald Hellebust leads Wiersholm’s M&A practice and has extensive experience in M&A, advising both private equity funds and industrial players. He is regularly used as lead counsel in large and complex transactions in the Nordic market. He also sometimes acts as an arbitrator in M&A disputes, and he is admitted to the Supreme Court.
Harald is one of the most sought after M&A lawyers in Norway. In his deals, he develops advanced negotiation and auction strategies tailored to securing a deal for his clients at the right commercial and legal terms. In addition to heading up the transaction department, Harald also leads the firm’s private equity sector group.
