Two Generations of Grieg’s 140 Years of History

Grieg is celebrating 140 years later this year. The bottle mail on the desk indicates that both are invited to the anniversary celebration. Camilla will be among the youngest, Åse among the oldest attendees. They are looking forward to the celebration. If Camilla stays at the company as long as Åse has, we might be approaching the 200th anniversary. Staying long at Grieg isn’t a strange concept for Camilla.

I feel a sense of pride in being part of Grieg’s journey and doing my part in driving the company forward – which will be through managing human capital in a sustainable way to meet the demands and challenges of the future. – I hope and believe that we will utilize greener technologies and digital solutions to an even greater extent in the future

Less bossing around.

The bosses are probably a bit less bossy today, says Åse with a smile. As Per Grieg Sr’s secretary for over 50 years, she knows the company better than most. She is cautious about giving Camilla too much advice. – You are positive and well-educated and will do fine on your own. If she had to offer one piece of advice, she says it’s wise to be yourself and to work well with the crew on board. Having more women on board would probably also be good, says Åse. Camilla nods, noting that only 3-4% of those on board are women, and there should be more. The two gets along very well, and Åse pulls out various items from Grieg’s history located in the lobby on C.Sundsgt, such as old telephones, navigation tools, and books.

Griegimellom. 

Åse shows Camilla a copy of the magazine Griegimellom (Grieg in between). Griegimellom was the precursor to 135+, which is today’s intranet. Griegimellom was an idea that came from a “mountain meeting” where the bosses from the various companies in the Grieg group met. Åse quickly got the assignment to be part of the editorial committee. The idea was to provide insight into other companies and inspiration to work more across the companies within Grieg. Camilla agrees that there is a lot of expertise in the companies that could be utilized by the companies among themselves.

A company beyond oneself.

Grieg Foundation Both are proud to work in a company that gives so much back. Through the Grieg Foundation, an incredible amount has been given over the years to culture, health, and education for children. Åse, along with Per Grieg Sr., were for a long time the only ones working with the Grieg Foundation. Åse handled the applications and divided them into three piles: Yes, No, and Maybe. Today, the Grieg Foundation is one of Norway’s most important foundations for charitable purposes, and Åse praises the work of the foundation. For Camilla, social sustainability was an important reason she applied to Grieg in the first place. – It adds an extra dimension to the work.

Three-month probationary period turned to 58 years.

In December 1966, Åse Karin Pettersen started her job at Joachim Grieg & Co. She began in what she refers to as “the line,” known today as Grieg Logistics. After a year on “the line,” she sought new challenges and landed the job as secretary for Per Grieg Sr, initially on a three-month trial. Fifty-eight years later she is still employed at Grieg but reveals that this summer marks the end of an adventurous journey for Åse with the Grieg Group.

Åse grew up on Fjellveien in Bergen in her grandfather’s house. Her father was a master mason and built houses on Løvstakksiden. After elementary school at Ny-Krohnborg, she attended English matriculation exam at Tanks followed by secretary school at Bergen Handelsgymnasium.

Åse always had her sights set abroad, which is why she moved to London after her education. Here, she worked at a trading house on Oxford Street for eight months. She befriended two French girls, with whom she keeps in touch with. This friendship led her to Paris, where she worked as an au pair for another eight months.

A journey through time.

When Åse was hired there were many secretaries, but there were no female bosses. That changed later when Per Grieg’s daughters joined the company. Per Grieg Sr had a lot on his mind, and there was much to write down. Åse used her shorthand pad diligently to keep up. This is a writing technique that uses special characters to write faster. It was not uncommon for Per Grieg Sr to have recorded long audio files that Åse would transcribe. He has written several books, most of which he recorded on tape, and then she wrote it down. – There were no home offices or computers at that time, so it happened that I was called in the evening and went to Per’s mailbox to fetch recordings, so it could be ready when he arrived at work. Our job as secretaries was to do everything the boss asked us to do. There were many practical tasks and arrangements to support the company’s management.

Star Herdla.

Åse shows us the model of the ship Star Herdla, a 198-meter long and 31-meter wide cargo ship. Åse is the godmother of the ship. Dressed in her beautiful Nordhordland bunad, she managed to smash the bottle on her first attempt. – I paid extra attention to the ship, especially in the first few years. That ship means a lot to me. The ship is still in traffic, and as we talk, it sails along the east coast of South America, Åse says.

Griegs 100th Anniversary.

Åse has received the bottle mail with an invitation to the 140th anniversary in May. This will not be Åse’s first anniversary; she was instrumental in planning the 100th anniversary, which was celebrated in Grieghallen, built just five years earlier. There was dining in “the point” and a concert and art in the spirit of Grieg. It was a high-prestige event. Edith Thallaug sang, and of course, we had a traditional marching band. Per Grieg senior assured Åse that it was not a matter of life and death, but it felt that way, says Åse. Regarding the difference from the 100th anniversary to now, Åse tell us that there are significantly more companies now than before, and there will probably be more in the future. She says the Grieg Foundation, which she helped lead for many years, has gained a stronger identity both internally and externally. The Grieg Foundation has meant a lot to many, and she highlights the arts and culture, healthcare, and especially SOS Children’s Villages, which have received much support.

18 years old and crane operator.

Camilla Semstrøm Nundal was a crane operator working 12-hour shifts from the age of 18. Today, she is the People & Organisation Coordinator at Grieg Maritime Group, a position she has held since October 2023. Camilla is energetic and knowledge-driven in her approaches to issues.

Camilla grew up in Årdal, a 3.5-hour drive north of Bergen. It was there she started her first job as a crane operator at the cornerstone company Hydro Årdal. The shifts were 12 hours at night, quite a stretch for an 18-year-old who admits she thrives best during the day. Although Grieg is also a 24-hour company and requires constant connectivity, she finds her generation better at balancing work and private life than previous ones. Although Camilla loves Årdal, she is glad she set her course for Bergen where she has received new impulses. In Bergen, she completed a master’s degree in work and organizational psychology at the University of Bergen, and had her internship at Odfjell. – working in shipping whetted my appetite, so I applied to Grieg Maritime Group.

Felt valued throughout the recruitment process.

Camilla explains that the recruitment process was thorough, involving three stages with meetings of various leaders and her current boss.

All in all, I thought the process was thorough and professional. I was approached with curiosity from the start and faced many critical questions. Everyone was very good at making me feel comfortable, and I think it was a positive experience, where I left all the interviews with higher self-confidence. I was well-prepared, which I believe is important for it to go as well as it did.

The scariest part of the process was before the interview with Annicken Gann Kildahl (CFO), when I had a preconception of what top leaders are like, but fortunately, it turned out she was very nice and funny, and there was nothing to be afraid of.

The best part of the process was all the updates along the way, and because of this, I felt valued and seen. In many recruitment processes today, you don’t even get a response to your application, so this was very good on Jannicke Steen’s part. It told me that the company cares about candidates and respects the time and energy they put into such a process – this I find very important!

The thoroughness of the process made me feel very secure that this was a company I wanted to work for, and this feeling was reinforced throughout the process. It’s also a reassurance for me, and for the company, that they actually hire the person who best fits the position.

Emerging Professionals.

Camilla enjoys talking about what it’s like to be young in the company today. – You’re really invested in from the start, given trust and responsibility. We see this, for example, through Emerging Professionals, a forum for those of us at Grieg Maritime Group under 32, where we gather to develop both professionally and personally. – I also experience a good collaboration between the young and experienced, where knowledge and experiences are eagerly shared, and this exchange of knowledge goes both ways. Curiosity is shown for the new perspectives one can bring to the company.

I would also like to emphasize that I find it very important that the Grieg group has a strong focus on diversity, gender equity, and sustainability. This aligns well with my values, and definitely strengthens my affiliation with Grieg. As a young woman in Grieg, I am especially inspired and motivated by the female leaders we have here, and I believe good role models are central to attracting and retaining young talent in an industry fighting hard for the best minds. Camilla rarely gets upset but can become frustrated if she or others are not trusted based on their young age.

Camilla currently lives in Nordnes, close to her job, but she is looking for a new apartment, not a new job. She is content at Grieg and looks forward to the 140-year anniversary.