The Chamber opens it doors to Siw Andersen, CEO of Oslo Business Region

Could you briefly introduce Siw Andersen and her background?

Siw Andersen is the CEO of Oslo Business Region. She has been at OBR for 11 years, almost 5 years as CEO. She has a strong interest in business, entrepreneurship, international trade, destination leadership and the arts. Siw is a board member of ROM for art and architecture, the Nordic music festival, By:Larm, and Den Gode Idé, an award for emerging design and architecture students. She has previously worked as a writer, editor, entrepreneur, and project manager in the fashion and media industries. Siw has a Bachelor’s degree from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and has studied at the National University of Singapore, Central Saint Martins in London, the University of Oslo and BI - Norwegian Business School.

Could you briefly introduce Oslo Business Region and its main mission, particularly in terms of fostering international cooperation and innovation ?

Oslo Business Region is the city's agency for economic development and international profiling. Our mission is to support entrepreneurs, scale-ups, and the broader innovation ecosystem by fostering collaboration across borders. We work to position Oslo as a globally attractive destination for business, investment, and talent—particularly within green transition, smart city development, and tech-driven innovation. International cooperation is essential to our approach, as we believe shared challenges require shared solutions. Oslo Business Region supports startups and growth companies in Oslo by attracting investment and talent, while also strengthening the Oslo brand internationally. They assist international investors in finding quality projects in Oslo, connect talent with networks, provide insights and reports, and organize Oslo Innovation Week every October.

How do you see the potential for strengthening economic and innovation ties between Oslo and France in the coming years?

I am thrilled to once again collaborate with the French-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce to further strengthen the ties between Oslo and France. We share many of the same goals—particularly around driving innovation, improving the business climate, and advancing sustainable solutions. A few years ago, we worked closely with Toulouse to connect our two ecosystems, and I’m very pleased to see that collaboration continue, now supported by a new direct flight between our two cities.

Looking ahead, I see great potential in deepening this partnership—not just bilaterally, but as part of a broader effort to strengthen Europe as a unified player and market. France plays a pivotal role in this. For many Norwegian companies and founders, France’s ambitious goals of becoming a global leader in tech and startups have been a real source of inspiration, especially through initiatives such as La French Tech and Station F. By aligning our strengths, we can create new opportunities for both countries and build a resilient, forward-looking Europe. Oslo Business Region, Choose Paris and Invest in Lyon Agency are already collaborating under the Choose Europe initiative - a collaboration between 16 Investment Promotion Agencies in Europe.

Oslo Innovation Week is a key event in the city's innovation calendar. What can we expect from this year's edition, and what are the main themes or goals you are focusing on? 

The 80 events happening during Oslo Innovation Week 2025 will spotlight real solutions to global challenges, under the theme "Real Action, Real Oslo." We aim to connect changemakers, startups, and investors in topics such as climate tech, AI for good, urban resilience, and inclusive growth. We expect around 15.000 participants from 50 countries, and you’ll see pretty much the whole innovation ecosystem involved in the event.

On October 22nd, we are proud to cooperate on the organization the French-Norwegian Day on the theme of "The City of the Future", which will be opened by the Governing Mayor of Oslo. How do you view this collaboration, and what role do such events play in shaping Oslo's international positioning? 

The goal of Oslo Innovation Week is connecting people from all over the world around real solutions. We know cities play an important role as a driver for new solutions.

I am very excited about this collaboration. The French-Norwegian Day is a great example of how cities can come together to co-create innovative solutions for the future. Hosting it in Oslo and having our Governing Mayor, Eirik Lae Solberg, open the event underscores the city's commitment to international dialogue. Meeting places like these are essential for building trust, sharing knowledge, and creating new partnerships across borders.

I look forward to welcoming you to Oslo or connecting in France.