Speakers

Frode Arnfinn Kristoffersen is a Major General in the Norwegian Armed Forces and currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) at Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk in the United States. He has more than 30 years of experience from the Norwegian Armed Forces and NATO, with a background in special operations, intelligence and joint operations.

Kristoffersen has served in international operations in Bosnia and Afghanistan through SFOR, FSK and ISAF, and has held several senior leadership roles, including Commander of the Norwegian Special Operations Regiment (FSK) and Chief of Staff of the Norwegian Special Operations Command.

He is a graduate of both the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the U.S. Army War College, and has received several high-level decorations for operational service and leadership.

Jan-Erik Larsen is the Managing Director and a partner at the communications agency Kruse Larsen, which he founded in 2015.

Larsen previously served as State Secretary to Jens Stoltenberg at the Office of the Prime Minister for two terms. He has a background as a journalist and editor, and brings extensive experience as an advisor in strategic communications. Larsen is also a highly experienced master of ceremonies and public speaker.

Jan-Erik Larsen will serve as master of ceremonies at the Defence Conference.

Lars Bo Larsen is Executive Director of the National Defence Technology Center of Denmark, which brings together Denmark’s universities and research organizations to strengthen national capabilities in critical and emerging technologies.

He previously served as Danish Ambassador to Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and ASEAN, and represented Denmark in the EU’s Political and Security Committee in Brussels.

Larsen has extensive experience in defence, security and international affairs, including postings in Beijing and The Hague, as well as roles within the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the private sector.

Eirik Melle is a Senior Analyst in Danske Bank’s Corporate Advisory team, specializing in geopolitics, competitiveness, and global supply chains with a focus on critical minerals and advanced technologies, including semiconductors and AI.

He is part of Danske Bank’s defence initiative and brings more than 20 years of experience in company and sector analysis.

He will participate in Danske Bank’s side event “Capital across the value chain: Financing the Nordic defence scale-up”.

Frode Ommundsen is a Major General in the Norwegian Armed Forces and Head of the Norwegian Home Guard (Heimevernet).

He has held key leadership roles in the Army, including in the Telemark Battalion and Panserbataljonen, and has operational experience from international missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan.

Ommundsen also has advanced military education from institutions such as the NATO Defence College and the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, and assumed his current role in 2023, where he leads the development of Norway’s territorial defence capabilities.

Kenneth Ruud is Director General at FFI. He holds a Dr.Philos. in theoretical and computational chemistry from the University of Oslo.

His main research focus has been on developing and applying electronic-structure methods to light-matter interactions in a wide frequency range, including nonlinear optical processes.
Dr.Philos. Ruud joined FFI in January 2022.

He has extensive experience with research and research leadership, including the position as pro-rector for research and development at the University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway (UiT).

Ruud holds a position as principal investigator at Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences.

Tore O. Sandvik is Norway’s Minister of Defence, appointed in February 2025. A Labour Party politician with extensive experience at both regional and national levels, he served as County Mayor of Sør-Trøndelag and later Trøndelag from 2003 to 2023.

Sandvik has a strong track record in regional development, industry policy, and defence issues, and has held roles as State Secretary in key ministries as well as acting Minister of Climate and Environment in 2024.

As Minister of Defence, he focuses on strengthening national preparedness, allied cooperation, and Europe’s responsibility for its own security.

At the conference, Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik will deliver his keynote address.

Maja Solum is Executive Operations Manager at Ubiq Aerospace, a Norwegian dual-use technology company. With a background in international business and geopolitics, she works closely with the company’s leadership team to support Ubiq’s expansion into international defence and aerospace markets.

Built on Norwegian innovation and NASA engineering expertise, Ubiq Aerospace develops cutting-edge technologies to address some of the aerospace sector’s most demanding challenges. Its flagship solution is the world’s only autonomous, SWaP-optimized ice detection and protection system for unmanned aerial systems, with applications across the broader aviation industry. Ubiq is also developing its own synthetic aperture radar, further expanding its capabilities for advanced sensing and operations in demanding environments.

The company leverages advanced carbon composite technologies to enable innovations such as structural energy storage and radar systems, helping shape the future of resilient and high-performance aerospace solutions.

Christine Spiten is a Senior Growth Manager at Danske Bank Growth, working closely with high-growth companies across the Nordic innovation ecosystem.

She is an entrepreneur, early-stage investor, and co-founder of Blueye Robotics.

With experience spanning investment banking, technology, and venture ecosystems, she brings a strong interdisciplinary perspective on scaling companies and connecting capital with innovation.

Spiten will moderate Danske Bank’s side event “Capital across the value chain: Financing the Nordic defence scale-up”

 Professor Katarzyna Zysk is Professor of International Relations and Contemporary History at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), part of the Norwegian Defence University College, and one of Norway's foremost experts on Russian security and defence policy.

Her research focuses on Russian military strategy, nuclear deterrence, Arctic security, and the role of emerging technologies and AI in defence innovation. She has held senior leadership roles at IFS, been a visiting fellow at Stanford University, the University of Oxford, Sciences Po, and the US Naval War College, and regularly provides analysis and briefings to NATO, allied governments, and defence institutions.

At Forsvarskonferansen 2026, she will deliver a security policy briefing on the evolving strategic landscape shaping Europe and the transatlantic community.