An interview with Ola Nordgren

Hi there, Ola Nordgren, you are retiring in the new year after nearly 40 years at FVB. You have been in charge of foreign affairs for many years and have been CEO of our UK operations since 2016. What’s next for FVB in the UK?

“There is a positive development for district heating and district cooling, as well as for our company, in the UK. Most buildings in the UK use gas for heating. Many municipalities and private property owners have looked for alternatives to gas in recent years, and the recent developments with the war in Ukraine have accelerated this work, which has increased interest in district heating but also district cooling.”

Over the years, you have done a lot of assignments and met a lot of customers, what is one assignment that stands out?

“It’s of course very difficult to pick one single assignment. With the Swedish customers, there’s been a continuity and sense of presence that makes the job extra fun when forming relationships. But one assignment that stands out was when we had to do a feasibility study for district heating and cooling in Christchurch, New Zealand after they had been hit by a massive earthquake. It was special in many ways, partly because the city was so destroyed after the earthquake, but also because it was a customer on the other side of the world.”

What will you do when you retire?

“I have a summer house in Hälsingland and I want to expand it. I also want to see my children and grandchildren more. They live in Åre and Gothenburg, so now there’s more time to visit them. I also hope to get better at golf.”