Nordic Business Forum

26/05/2026

Learning hits different when you experience it together 🙌

From local team watch parties to global company-wide learning experiences, organizations are using our Remote Group Livestream to bring Nordic Business Forum to their employees - wherever they are.

Some of our favorite feedback so far:

💬 “Accessible, cost-effective, and easy to scale”
💬 “A great opportunity to refresh our thinking and gain new insights”
💬 “An effective way to provide equal access to high-quality content, regardless of location”
💬 “The setup was smooth and reliable”
💬 “Participation was high and people followed the sessions very actively”

We love seeing teams turn inspiration into action together! So, a warm thank you to all the organizations and teams that have already decided to join us 🤩

If you're interested in getting your team on board, read more of our customers' experiences:

Learn how five organizations — Wärtsilä, Huhtamaki, Orion Pharma, Telia, and SEB — have utilized the Nordic Business Forum livestream to support learning, engagement, and leadership development at scale.

20/05/2026

AI is making us more productive. But you should be using it to make your organization more innovative 📈

That was one of the key insights in our webinar today together with Oslo Business Forum, featuring innovation strategist Shawn Kanungo and Shane McArdle, CEO of Kongsberg Digital.

The discussion explored the growing tension between efficiency and innovation, and why many organizations risk becoming too comfortable with AI.

Some of the core ideas from the session were:

→ AI is not just a tool, but it should fundamentally change how organizations operate
→ Companies often focus on optimizing old processes instead of reimagining how work should be done
→ Overreliance on AI can weaken critical thinking and decision-making
→ The future belongs to organizations that are either frictionless or deeply human — not mediocre in the middle
→ Courage, experimentation, and curiosity are becoming more valuable than knowledge alone

One of Shawn’s key messages was this:

“Being comfortable is the most dangerous spot to be in today.”

For more, read the summary or watch the recording: https://www.nbforum.com/newsroom/news/how-to-avoid-the-dangerous-comfort-of-ai/

Thank you Shawn and Shane for sharing your insights and thank you to everyone who joined us 🙏

During our webinar, Shawn Kanungo emphasized that the organizations that succeed will not simply use AI to work faster, but they use it to rethink what becomes possible when knowledge itself becomes abundant.

19/05/2026

Are we trying too hard to optimize our performance? 🧠

In the third episode of our new NBF podcast series, human performance expert Dr James Hewitt challenges some of the biggest myths around peak performance.

More routines, more optimization, more tracking tools… are they really helping us perform better, or just making us more exhausted?

Together with James, we discuss:

➡️ A 3C model for high performance (capacity, control, coordination)
➡️ The hidden costs of distraction and constant digital overload
➡️ What Formula One teams can teach us about pressure and teamwork
➡️ Why attention might be our most valuable resource today

If you want to learn how to perform sustainably in a world that constantly demands more, listen to the full episode on your favorite platform:

Youtube: https://youtu.be/6SnnKQFvqtY
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1IE0k0MFMqSjgoK0gBfl38?si=22dmfffYRUyn4x3kIxfHTA

And let us know: what helps you perform sustainably in a world full of distractions? 💡

07/05/2026

Are you the Technical Event Producer & Spatial Designer we are looking for? Or do you know a person who could be? ✨

We are now seeking an experienced person to manage our event's technical ex*****on and spatial planning. In this highly versatile role, you will bridge the gap between high-level event technology and extraordinary physical venue design. Your focus is on developing these areas of Nordic Business Forum to the next level and possibly also for some of the other events within the Business Forum Group.

We offer a demanding and rewarding job that you can do with a caring team!

Learn more and apply here: https://apply.workable.com/nbforum/j/926573F71B

(or share the link with a potential person) 🔥

About the Role:We are seeking an experienced Technical Event Producer & Spatial Designer to take the helm of our event's technical ex*****on and spatial planning. In this highly versatile role, you will bridge the gap between high-level eve...

28/04/2026

Is there any room left for a neutral CEO? 👀

In the second episode of our new NBF podcast series, we dive into CEO and corporate activism together with Annika Arras, CEO of Milton New Nordics, and Thomas Kolster, marketing advisor and author.

Today, leaders are expected to take a stand. But speaking up can divide stakeholders, and staying silent can do the same. So how can CEOs lead through polarization without breaking trust?

Together with Annika and Thomas, we discuss:

➡️ Why neutrality is no longer always the safest choice
➡️ How to avoid corporate activism that feels forced or self-serving
➡️ When leaders should speak up, and when they should stay close to the business
➡️ Why values must show up in action, not just communication

If you want to hear how leaders can navigate values, money, trust, and responsibility in a polarized world, listen to the full episode:

Youtube: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0tTD3J0

And let us know what you think: Is there any room left for a neutral CEO?

22/04/2026

AI made work faster. So why are people more exhausted?

That was the key question in a webinar yesterday with our friends at Oslo Business Forum. Digital anthropologist, Rahaf Harfoush and CEO of Azets Norway, Arne Norheim explored a growing paradox: The more efficient we become, the more pressure we seem to feel.

Some of the key insights from the session were:

→ Efficiency is increasing, but so is the cognitive demand placed on people
→ Many productivity systems are outdated and not suited for modern knowledge work
→ AI can amplify existing problems if leaders do not rethink how work is designed
→ The most valuable work today is often invisible and difficult to measure
→ Sustainable performance requires time for focus, recovery, and deep thinking
→ Leaders must design work environments that support human performance, not just machine efficiency

Rahaf urged leaders to ask themselves: Are your performance metrics rewarding activity or real value creation? 💡

Read the written summary or watch the recording to learn more: https://www.nbforum.com/newsroom/blog/smarter-machines-exhausted-humans-how-to-fix-the-productivity-paradox/

Thank you everyone who joined us yesterday! 🙏

Why does increasing efficiency seem to make work harder, not easier? Our recent webinar dove into this topic with the help of digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush. Learn more!

21/04/2026

Smarter machines, but more exhausted humans? 🧐

In our free webinar TODAY with digital anthropologist and speaker Rahaf Harfoush, we’ll explore:

→ Why increasing efficiency is actually increasing mental load
→ What the hidden shift from physical work to constant cognitive performance means
→ What leaders may be overlooking as expectations continue to increase

Join the webinar for fresh perspectives on this timely leadership challenge!

📅 21 April, 15:00-15:45 EEST
🔗 https://www.nbforum.com/webinars/webinar-rahaf-harfoush/

16/04/2026

Is AI making your team more capable or just more efficient? 🤔

As AI has become a natural part of our daily work, the real question is not whether we should use it, but how we should use it. If we are not being intentional about using AI, we risk optimizing for speed at the cost of thinking.

To help leaders in this, we gathered some guidelines on our blog on how to protect your team's cognitive skills while using AI. Here are a few quick thoughts:

1. Set a clear principle: thinking comes first
2. Design workflows where AI challenges rather than replaces
3. Train people to work with AI, not just use it
4. Make safe, approved tools and practices available

💡 Learn more by reading the entire article:

If we're not smart about using AI, it may end up making us dumber. Leaders need to find ways to use AI that will preserve and enhance our cognitive skills, not replace or weaken them.

08/04/2026

“Think first, prompt second.” 🧠

We at NBF are trying something new, and it’s time to release the first episode!

Recently, we sat down to record three in-depth conversations about current leadership topics. In this first discussion, we're joined by neuroscientist Mona Moisala and Pactum AI’s co-founder Kaspar Korjus to unpack why the "lazy" use of AI might be rotting our brains. How can we use AI to enhance our thinking, rather than outsource it?

With the help of these two experts, we dive into:

➡️The fine line between cognitive enhancement and cognitive atrophy
➡️The misconceptions vs. reality of current AI tools
➡️The strategies to adopt AI at work without causing confusion and burnout

And a lot more!

If you want to learn more about how to better use AI, check out the whole episode here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0tgG_20

And let us know: what are your strategies to keep AI from rotting your brain?

23/03/2026

What does peak performance actually mean to today’s top leaders? Hint: It’s not about working harder…

Recently, a few of our Main Stage speakers shared their definitions on peak performance and the practical systems they use every day to achieve it. We collected their insights into one PDF, and here are a few impactful thoughts from it:

💡 Focus on impact: “What do I do today that moves us furthest, fastest?” – Patty McCord

🧠 Prioritize energy: Peak performance is about aligning your business and social calendar to things that excite you. – Shawn Kanungo

🏢 Design your systems: Peak performance isn't about willpower; it’s building fixed blocks for work, reading, and recovery. – Michael Beckley

Want to discover the daily habits of world-class high-performers? If yes, read our quick blog and download the PDF guide: https://www.nbforum.com/newsroom/blog/what-is-peak-performance-insights-from-nbf-2026-speakers/