OSLO — Burson-Marsteller has appointed Bente Engesland as the first permanent female CEO of its Norwegian operations. She takes over from interim CEO Wenche Halsen, who will remain part of the agency’s leadership in Norway.

As reported earlier this month, former Burson-Marsteller Norway CEO Morten Pettersen will be joining business strategy and communications consultancy boldT in March to lead the young agency’s new Nordic business and its crisis communications work. Pettersen had run B-M’s Norway operation for the past six years and its Nordic region since 2015.

Engesland joins Burson-Marsteller on 1 June from her current role as senior vice president of corporate communications at Statkraft, one of Norway’s leading companies and Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy.

She has held leading positions in executive communications and management at major companies throughout her career, including as head of news at Norway’s public broadcaster NRK.

Burson-Marsteller’s EMEA CEO Ramiro Prudencio said: “Bente is a proven leader with a track record of building high-performance teams. Her experience at the top levels of media, public policy, and industry sectors such as energy will further strengthen our team in Oslo. From counselling senior business leaders on key issues to designing digital and integrated communications campaigns, Bente brings an invaluable perspective.”

Engesland said she was looking forward to joining the team: “I am particularly excited by Burson-Marsteller’s innovative approach to integrated communications at a time of transformational change in the industry. My ambition is to work with the team to take this approach to new levels, demonstrating the impact effective communications can have for organisations.”