Meet Thor-Erik Nyseth: Getting to know Unger's New CEO on Leadership, Culture and the Future
Thor-Erik Nyseth is the new CEO of Unger Fabrikker, although he is already a familiar face to many at Unger. He joined the company in 2017 and has served as Director of Sales and Marketing since 2019.
Originally from Fredrikstad, Thor-Erik has strong local roots and a long-standing connection to both the company and the region. Outside work, he is a husband and father of two.
As Thor-Erik steps into his new role, we sat down with him for a conversation about leadership, company culture, the future of Unger, and the person behind the CEO role.
Which leader has influenced you the most, and why?
Thor-Erik: I look forward to getting started, and I do so with a sense of awe. We have been fortunate to have Jan Ivar Ruud at the helm here for many years, and he is a person and leader I have learned a great deal from. Olav Thon has also inspired me through his attitude, personality and courage.
I also want to mention my former manager at Saugbrugs. I believe he has influenced me the most. Vidar Backstrom was a true inspiration, with a reflective, clear, trusting and fair personality. His way of leading and his leadership style are exemplary and something to learn from.
What gives you energy in your job? And what drains you of energy?
Thor-Erik: Achieving results together and seeing our efforts, expertise and dedication make a real impact gives me energy.
However, meaningless tasks, where the task gets done but does not necessarily have any effect. It also drains my energy when we do not carry out or complete what we have agreed upon.
How would those who know you describe you in three words?
Thor-Erik: Calm, reliable and trustworthy.
What qualities do you admire the most?
Thor-Erik: Knowledge, reliability and the ability to execute.
Leaving aside your professional life for a moment, what do you think those who know you only through LinkedIn would be most surprised by?
Thor-Erik: Well, the most important thing for me, as for many others, remains my family. So it is probably the family man who may not be as visible there.
What do you do when you need to completely unwind?
Thor-Erik: Being a dad, watching the children's football matches, going on a trip or perhaps spending time at the cabin with my family.
What advice would you give yourself as a 25 year old?
Thor-Erik: Patience! Hardly my strong side even to this day, but that would undeniably have been my advice to my younger self.
What is the most unexpected lesson you have taken with you from working life?
Thor-Erik: I probably underestimated how demanding it can be to have personnel responsibility. Working in our industry also makes you realise just how big the world is, but in many ways, how small it is too. Cultural differences are becoming less pronounced now than they were before, which in some ways makes the world a little less interesting, but also more similar regardless of where you are. I have also been somewhat surprised by the complexity required to create and, not least, manufacture things.
How do you want employees to challenge you when they disagree with you?
Thor-Erik: It should be encouraged to express your opinion. Disagreement is not dangerous, but it must be expressed and handled with respect. I want us to continue to have a culture where openness and communication are imperative. That is important!
How do you want employees to experience you when they meet you in the factory area or in the hallways here?
Thor-Erik: As open and positive, and hopefully nice. I love people in general.
How do you balance the need for quick decisions with the need for involvement?
Thor-Erik: That is potentially my Achilles' heel. I want us to dare to make decisions, and I may sometimes be a little quick, according to some. However, my experience is that it is more important to dare to take the leap than to spend too much time deliberating and potentially let ideas crumble in committees and drawers.
What type of company culture do you think brings out the best in people?
Thor-Erik: Trust-based leadership. There must be trust between us. There must be transparency. At the same time, there is a simple fact: not everybody will always be satisfied. We must be able to tolerate that, and we must have a robustness in the organisation that can also withstand challenging times.
How do you build a culture where people want to contribute ideas?
Thor-Erik: All ideas should be received and treated with respect. There should not be an attitude of, 'It won't work, we've tried that before.' You should be heard. At the same time, the reality is that not every idea will be able to result in direct action or be implemented in the company.
What made you say yes to this position?
Thor-Erik: The challenge of taking Unger towards our next hundred years. It is about further developing a local cornerstone company and developing within the group we are part of. We have an enormous amount of expertise in place, and we want to see the results of that in both growth and operations. The Unger spirit and the environment here are unique, and we will preserve that while continuing to develop.
What do you think is the biggest opportunity for Unger in the next five years?
Thor-Erik: Sustainability is important. It will present challenges, but not least, commercial opportunities. It is also about working closely with our customers, daring to join the dance, building networks and developing our expertise further, as well as increasing efficiency.
What questions do you hope employees ask you?
Thor-Erik: "How should we develop and evolve?" Be active in driving Unger forward, creating growth, developing new products, and having a fertile and healthy culture for good ideas!
If you can give the Unger organization one piece of advice heading into the future, what is it?
Thor-Erik: That we should have faith in what we are doing.
Which decision do you think will be most important for Unger in the coming years?
Thor-Erik: Well, it could be our liquid portfolio and the investments we make there. There are also regulatory developments to consider, such as what happens with the regulations concerning 1,4-dioxane.
How would your perfect day at Unger look?
Thor-Erik: We have solved challenges together, landed good sales, seen new ideas bear fruit, and we are doing well enough financially that we can use funds to develop further.
As Thor-Erik takes on his new role as CEO, his answers reflect a leadership philosophy centred on trust, openness and the willingness to act. At the same time, there is a clear respect for what has already been built at Unger and for the people and expertise behind it.
Looking towards Unger's next hundred years, the ambition is to continue developing while preserving what makes Unger unique: its expertise, local roots, customer focus and culture.
And perhaps Thor-Erik's own advice to the organisation sums up the starting point best: We should have faith in what we are doing!