Aker communications professional to join First House

This appointment will strengthen First House corporate communication and finance team in Oslo, Norway.

Oslo, 10 August 2012 – Geir Arne Drangeid joins First House as senior advisor and partner. Drangeid has been responsible for corporate communications in Aker companies for a number of years. He currently holds the position as Chief Communications Officer at Aker Solutions, and is regarded as one of Norway’s most skilled and experienced communications executives.

Geir Arne Drangeid has worked at Aker for over 22 years, during which time he has accumulated extensive experience in one of Norway’s most successful publicly-listed industrial groups with operations worldwide. In addition to being a partner at First House, Drangeid will lead the consultancy’s Corporate Communications team and focus on CEO and Leadership Communication as well as strategic investor relation (IR) advisory to Norwegian and international clients with challenges in Norway.

“Geir Arne will bring his unique experience from all communication aspects of both Aker companies and Aker Solutions to First House. Aker Solutions is one of the most prominent companies within oil and gas technologies and the investment company Aker is a successful main shareholder in a number of industrial enterprises in Norway. His experience of working with very complex communication challenges will be an invaluable asset to our clients. Clearly, we are very happy and proud that he chose to come to First House. His background, leadership skills and experience fit perfectly and will strengthen our commitment to strategic management and corporate communication for our clients,” says Per Høiby, managing director and partner in First House.

“I’ve had 22 great years in the Aker family. I have had the pleasure to learn from and work with outstanding leaders, inspiring shareholders like Kjell Inge Røkke and talented people in many fields. First House has impressed me both regarding the people on their team and the clients for whom they work. That made First House a natural choice for me. I will have the opportunity to learn to share my experience with clients in the strategic advisor role,” says Geir Arne Drangeid.

Prior to Aker, Drangeid worked as a journalist but early in his career he switched to business activities where he build a reputation as one of Norway’s most recognized communications strategists.

Geir Arne Drangeid will take up his position in First House on November 1^st, 2012. There he will join a team with a number of reputable and experienced advisors, including Leif Monsen, Kari Holm Hejna, Jan-Erik Larsen, Tor Mikkel Wara, Bjarne Håkon Hanssen, Per Terje Vold, Hans Christian Vadseth, Nils Apeland, Bjørn Richard Johansen and Norway’s former ambassador to UN, United Nations, Morten Wetland. Mr. Wetland just recently moved back from New Yorkto join First House as strategic advisor and senior vice president within public affairs/governmental relations.

For more information:

Per Høiby, Managing Director and Partner, First House: + 47 994 55 225, e-mail: ph@firsthouse.no

Geir Arne Drangeid: + 47 913 10 458, e-mail: geir.arne.drangeid(at)akersolutions.com

First House in brief

First House, with offices in Oslo and Stavanger in Norway and in Brussels with Fipra, is a consulting firm with senior expertise and focus on analysis, strategy and implementation for clients within the private and public sectors. The company offers its services based on four foundations: financial communication; political communication; corporate communication (including media and crisis management); and, First House Media. First House Media offers consulting on strategic and operational levels within the media industry. First House was established in January 2010 and has 26 employees and 7 associate senior partners. Income in 2011 was NOK 48 million and the profit before tax was NOK 9.5 million. First House is a part of Fipra and thus has access to an outstanding international network of advisers in more than 50 countries, including all Nordic countries and all member states of the EU. Almost all advisers in Fipra have experience from politics including ministers, state secretaries, ambassadors, parliamentary or ministerial bureaucracy, or from prominent positions in industry, consumer organizations, volunteer, humanitarian and environmental organizations (NGOs). In May 2012, First House received the Sabre Award for the New Consultancy of the Year for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) by the renowned analyst Holmes Report (www.holmesreport.com). First House is a member of the trade organizations Norwegian Information Advisers, KOMM, Norwegian Investor Relations Association, the oil, energy and offshore supply network organized in  subseavalley.com and Abelia (www.nho.no).
For more information: www.firsthouse.no