Managing Director
Jarle Forbord

Jarle Forbord has broad experience from various forms of business and advisory activities in the Barents Region, the Baltics, the Balkans, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the SADC region and from cooperation with multilateral financing organizations and institutions.

During the 1980ies, he held several leading management positions in various private companies in the High North of Norway, in Kirkenes and Tromso, within trade, tourism, transport and production. He has also served as assistant and interpreter to the Norwegian Border Commissioner on the then Norwegian-Soviet Border and worked as Deputy President in South Varanger Investment and Business Development Company.

In 1989 he took up a position as commercial councellor at the Norwegian Embassy in Moscow coming, from a position as C.E.O. of Barents Company, Finnmark. After his service in Moscow, he worked as commercial councellor at the Norwegian Embassies in Sarajevo and Pretoria.

In 2003 he was engaged as consultant in setting up the NRCC and was later appointed its Managing Director.

He speaks Norwegian, Russian, English, Dutch and German.

Telephone: + 47 22 00 28 53, cell + 47 99 40 19 43. E-mail: jarle.forbord(at)nrcc.no

Information Director Katerina Smetanina

On maternity leave until May 2011.

Katerina Smetanina has more than 15 years of experience with the Norwegian-Russian trade relations. Among her previous employment are Northern Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Norwegian Trade Council, Consulate General of Norway in Murmansk and other organisations.

Smetanina holds a bachelor degree in journalism (Oslo University College), MBA-degree in International Business (GSIB, Moscow) and bachelor degree in history and English language (MGPI, Murmansk). Lecturer on Russian culture on NRCC Courses. Author of the book "Russia and Russians: a guide to our neighbour in the East " published in Norwegian in November 2006.

In the NRCC Smetanina is among other activities responsible for information and promotional activities, production of bilingual Norwegian-Russian Business Magazine and other publications, as well as for several other projects.

Fluent in Norwegian, Russian and English. Basic French and German.

Telephone: + 47 22 00 29 79. E-mail: smetanina(at)nrcc.no

Tverseth has practical experience as consultant, working for different municipalities in project management, organization development and planning tasks; project manager of business cooperation projects with companies within various industrial sectors in Northern Norway, international business development projects with universities in Russia, practical training courses for Russian suppliers in the North Western District of Russia in collaboration with a Norwegian oil company and similar. Jorn Tverseth has held several leading political positions during a period of more than 10 years, hereunder also acting as representative at  the regional parliament in Nordland County working with regional industrial development.

Tverseth is responsible for a match making program for Norwegian SMEs penetrating the Russian market and as well coordinator of several other projects related to the Russian market .

He is fluent in Norwegian and English.

Telephone: +47 22 00 27 42, cell + 47 90 91 49 64. E-mail: tverseth(at)nrcc.no

Office Manager
Ksenia Borzenina

Ksenia Borzenina has graduated from the Petrozavodsk State University with a major in Swedish and Russian language (bachelor).

She has several years of work experience from account and office administration.

Fluent in Norwegian/Swedish, Russian and English.

Telephone: +47 22 00 29 60. E-mail: ksenia.borzenina(at)nrcc.no

Information Assistant
Julia Undseth

Julia Undseth has a Master degree in Russian language and literary translation from University of Oslo and cand.mag. in Slavonic languages and literature from University in Tartu, Estland. Her additional education covers several courses in design and communication in digital media, PR, marketing and economy.

Undseth has more than five years working experience as a journalist for several media in Estland and freelance journalist for media in Finland.

Fluent in Norwegian, Russian, has a good knowledge of English and some knowledge of Estonian.

Telephone: +47 22 00 29 60. E-mail: undseth(at)nrcc.no

NRCC Representation Office, Moscow, Russia

Head of Representation Vladimir Bagreev

Before joining the NRCC, Vladimir Bagreev hold such positions as Information Director at Solidarity Bank in Moscow and Senior Expert at the Federation of Trade Unions of Russia.

He is a graduated engineer and lawyer (intellectual property), with addtional studies in intellectual property, history and languages.

Fluent in English and Russian.

Cell phone: + 7 906 074 0058. E-mail: nrccmoscow(at)nrcc.no