He grew up as a baker's son in Grønland, Oslo, but the family moved to Bestum in his youth.
He took economics education at the BI Norwegian Business School and also studied at the University of Wisconsin.
[1] He worked in Actinor, Unitor and Geco before he was hired as chief financial officer in Norsk Data in 1987.
[4] The entire board resigned in late 1993, protesting small budgets.
[7][8] He later became deputy chairman of Tandberg Television's board and chief executive of Gezina.