NRCC Head Office, Oslo, Norway

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 21 01 57 50, e-mail: jarle.forbord(at)nrcc.no

Information Director, Katerina Smetanina

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" ("Russland og russere: en guide til vårt nabofolk i øst") published in Norwegian in November 2006.
In the NRCC Smetanina is among other activities responsible for information and promotional activities, production of NRCC publications, as well as for several other projects.
Fluent in Norwegian, Russian and English. Basic French and German.

Telephone:+ 47 21 01 57 51; e-mail: katerina.smetanina(at)nrcc.no

Project Manager Joern Tverseth

Joern Tverseth has a master degree of political science with specialization in organization and management. He has supplementary education in project organization, project management, steering - and control. From Bodoe University College he has a bachelor degree within personnel management and development.
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 21 01 57 53, cell +47 90 91 49 64, e-mail: jorn.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 21 01 57 50, e-mail: ksenia.borzenina(at)nrcc.no