New Vestre CEO

Vestre AS has appointed Bjørn Fjellstad (42) as its new CEO. He sees great potential in increasing the export of sustainable and innovative Norwegian design. Vestre also has exciting environmental news.

“This is a dream job. I've been working with branding, sustainability and Scandinavian design for many years and I can’t think of a more exciting job than getting to lead Vestre,” says Fjellstad, adding:

“Our greatest opportunities lie in the export market. I'm certain we can achieve major growth there. There is strong international interest in Vestre’s sustainable furniture concepts and social outdoor spaces.”

Fjellstad joins Vestre from his job as CEO of Sweet Protection at Active Brands. He has previously worked as Head of Sales at Norrøna Sport. As a manager of these brands, Fjellstad has spread the Norwegian joy of the outdoors across the world, while also boosting exports of sustainable Norwegian design.

CO2 cuts

Fjellstad is taking over as CEO as Vestre is implementing new environmental measures. We have just entered into an agreement with Swedish company SSAB to purchase steel produced using zero emissions. Steel production is one of the world’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, but the Swedish steel manufacturer has succeeded in creating a production process which replaces coal and coke with green hydrogen. The result is high-quality pure steel, completely fossil-free and with no carbon dioxide emissions. Early estimates show that Vestre will be able to cut its overall carbon footprint by around 60 percent by using fossil-free steel.

“Vestre has a rich and inspiring industrial history, clear values and a strong design philosophy. I’m looking forward to working with a motivated team, and to bringing Scandinavian furniture design to the rest of the world,” says Fjellstad.

Kristoffer Vestre, Chairman of the family-owned business, is very pleased with the appointment of Fjellstad.

“We’re very happy to have Bjørn Fjellstad as our new CEO. Bjørn has extensive experience setting up Norwegian brands for international growth, and it’s a huge advantage for Vestre to have him on board now that we’re focusing more on our exports,” he says.