Position: Norges Bank Governor
Incumbent: Oeystein Olsen
Date of Birth: Jan. 8, 1952
Term: 2011-2016
Key facts:
-- His stated aim is to balance inflation-targeting with broader economic development and with an exchange rate that does not damage Norway's competitiveness too much.
-- Took over Norges Bank on Jan. 3, 2011 with oil-rich Norway's monetary policy delicately poised -- as the strong crown restrains inflation and eases pressure for rate hikes and the economy gains speed and housing prices bubble higher.
-- Headed Norway's statistics agency before taking over at the central bank. His forecasts from Statistics Norway had shown a slower recovery for Norway and lower rates in 2011 than those predicted by Norges Bank under his predecessor, Svein Gjedrem.
-- As governor has promised policy continuity and has played down worries over the strength of the crown. The bank's first forward-looking report under his leadership projected the start of a gradual tightening cycle in May or June 2011, nearly unchanged from previous views.
-- Norway and U.S.-educated with a Masters degree in economics from the University of Oslo, has held various economic posts in the Norwegian finance ministry and statistics agency, and taught at Oslo's top business school. (Reporting by Wojciech Moskwa)