Forte Digital Strengthens Commercial Team: Recruits from Cognite and SATS

Forte Digital has brought on board Sarah Lexov and Christian Øvregaard from Cognite and SATS respectively. Eivind Thorsrud Willard, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Forte Digital, explains that these new hires are part of a larger effort to expand into new industries.

Last year, Forte Digital announced the appointment of Eivind Thorsrud Willard as their new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Willard, who previously held leadership roles at Tietoevry Create and Sopra Steria, currently leads a newly established team with a focus on commercial activities at Forte Digital.

The latest additions to the team are Sarah Lexov and Christian Øvregaard, who will respectively lead the commercial initiatives targeting the industrial and maritime sectors, as well as e-commerce and retail.

– With Sarah and Christian on board, we are even better equipped to assist new customers in achieving digital success. We aim to build upon the strong market position we have already established. To do that, we must dare to invest with the right expertise," says Eivind Willard about the new hires.

Focusing on E-commerce and Industry

Lexov and Øvregaard collectively bring over 30 years of experience. The former comes from a position as Director of Business Development. Lexov believes that there is significant potential for digitalization within the Norwegian industry.

– The potential for digitalization is enormous in industries burdened with significant technical debt, where manual processes traditionally dominate. The industrial and maritime sectors possess valuable data that can be utilized more effectively. Accelerating digitalization in this industry doesn't necessarily have to be a complex process. Start with simple steps towards digitalization. The act of starting itself holds value, says Lexov.

Currently, Forte Digital counts aquaculture and industrial companies like Måsøval and Kongsberg Digital among its clientele. The consulting firm has, for many years, primarily focused on e-commerce and retail, with companies like NorgesGruppen and Farmasiet on its client list. Willard explains that the addition of Christian Øvregaard will further strengthen this commitment.

– Christian brings invaluable experience from companies like SATS, Stokke, and NorgesGruppen, where he has led several major digitalization projects. He possesses a unique blend of expertise at the intersection of data, technology, and e-commerce, which will benefit both us and our clients, says Willard.

Christian Øvregaard believes that smarter data utilization is needed within the realms of e-commerce and retail.

– I aspire to assist companies in achieving digital transformations that generate commercial value, whether through e-commerce or new business areas that contribute to new revenue streams. Several e-commerce players, for instance, can become even better at harnessing their data's potential to optimize marketing and create relevant customer experiences through CRM, says Christian Øvregaard.

In 2022, Forte Digital recorded a revenue of 350 MNOK, up from 284 MNOK in 2021.