Mr. Vidar Andersen
The new Head of the International Division of DNB leaves Brazil with a more upbeat view than he had when he arrived.
Top DNB executive visits Brazil
Vidar Andersen was appointed Head of a new International Division of Norway´s DNB Bank in September 2016. Mr. Andersen comes from the position as Head of Asia Operations at DNB, and spent 12 years in Asia. He is still no stranger to Latin America, and in October, he visited the DNB offices in Chile and Brazil.
Mr. Andersen spent two days in Brazil to meet with colleagues at the Rio office, which is now headed by Claudio Goulart, with clients and business partners. He takes over as head of the new division as part of a reorganizing of DNB, where all international offices will now report to Mr. Andersen at the DNB headquarters in Oslo.
«Our bank is industry driven and we are here for our clients within sectors like shipping, offshore and energy that are present in the Brazilian market. Seafood and healthcare, together with manufacturing – especially amongst our Swedish clients, are other important industries for DNB. To create value for our clients in this market is our ambition, and in these sectors, we work with large, complex structures, something that also gives us a solid competence base to support and advise our Nordic clients in Brazil.»
When Mr. Andersen first joined DNB in 2001, he was appointed to the Latin America desk, and Tom Mario Ringseth was one of his closest colleagues.
«After backpacking in South America, I ended up writing my dissertation at the London School of Economics on the Chilean energy sector. I have been in Brazil several times before, but this time I am here to gain greater insight into the current market situation in Brazil. Offshore and energy are core areas to us internationally and Brazil is a key country for the energy sector, for us and for our clients. Many of our clients have operations both in Norway and Brazil.»
He says he leaves Brazil with a more upbeat view than he had when he first arrived.
«Absolutely. The impressions I get is that the current problems Brazil is facing, are by far over, but it seems to have turned the page. In that sense I leave with a more upbeat view than when I came. The offshore industry in Brazil is having a difficult time, and that is a challenge. We have a strong client relationship and we are always a long term partner for our clients. After meeting with some of them today, I got a much more positive impression than what we saw six to twelve months ago. But I think everyone is cautious that the jury is still out and that the country, both business and the politicians, need to prove themselves in the months and years to come», Mr. Andersen says.
The DNB executive also has extensive experience from the chambers of commerce in Beijing and Singapore where he acted as both chairman and member of the board.
«After 12 years in Asia where I was active in the chambers of commerce, I believe that using each other´s competence and experience to solve individual challenges, is a huge benefit and the chamber in this sense is able to create good value add for the member companies.»
By Runa Hestmann, NBCC journalist
Photo courtesy of DNB.
: