For the second year running the Round Table Conference 2009 will be held in Hammerfest. This year, the Barents Sea Conference Foundation and the Executive Committee for Northern Norway (Landsutvalget) will put the spotlight on future development policies for the Barents Sea and Lofoten areas. In addition, focus will be directed towards how the energy and petroleum sectors can act as important industrial engines for ensuring growth and vigorous community development in Northern Norway.
The Round Table Conference takes the form of a dialogue between a group of specially invited individuals gathered to debate the essential prerequisites for the success of the energy and petroleum sectors in Northern Norway. Naturally enough, access to new offshore licences in the Barents Sea and Lofoten areas will be an important topic, and the resulting spin-offs, infrastructure and the development of skills and expertise will be key themes.
This year's participants at the Round Table Conference will be:
1. Alf E. Jakobsen (Member of Parliament, Norwegian Labour Party)
2. Arild Glæserud (Technical General Manager, Eni Norge)
3. Arvid Jensen (Board Chair, Petro Arctic)
4. Edel Storelvmo (Director, Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise - NHO, Nordland)
5. Einar Westre (Director responsible for distribution grids and markets, Norwegian Electrical Industry Association - EBL)
6. Guri Ingebrigtsen (Board Chair, LO-VE Petro)
7. Ivar Kristiansen (Member of Parliament, Conservative Party of Norway)
8. Lars Arne Ryssdal (Director of Energy Policy and Environment at the Norwegian Oil Industry Association -OLF)
9. Reidar Nilsen (Head of the Norwegian Fisherman's Association)
10. Vibeke Larsen (Minister, Norwegian Sámi Parliament)
11. Øyvind Korsberg (Member of Parliament, Norwegian Progress Party)
This year's moderators will be Svein Ludvigsen, the County Governor of Troms, and Marit Helene Pedersen, Director of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) in Finnmark.
Raymond Robertsen, who is Project Director for the Round Table Conference 2009, says that the conference has developed into an important arena. He points out that this year it has been necessary to move the conference to a larger auditorium in order to accommodate all those who wish to attend. He also points to how vital it is for Northern Norway to challenge politicians and the industry with issues that are relevant for the progressive development of the northern areas, where the energy and petroleum sectors are and can become major engines for growth.
The Round Table Conference 2009 will be held in Hammerfest's new culture centre on Tuesday 21 April between 9 and 11 a.m.