Our Achievements
Expanding Internationally
Feb 4th, 2018
EXION Expanding Internationally
New partners joining and offices opened in Madrid and Athens. International expansion well underway.
EXION partners with well-connected and highly experienced individuals with strong, local networks and proven track record of building value for companies with international ambitions. Together, the partners construct a bridge of trust that allows companies from different cultures to fully understand and appreciate each other’s true selves and thereby release the potential of their collaboration. Too often, not understanding cultural differences has stopped great value from being created between some of the most talented companies and individuals. EXION’s vision is to help companies to take full advantage of their combined strengths.
Carmen Sanz (52) is a well-known name to many Norwegian companies doing business in Spain. She is a Spanish lawyer, speaks fluent Norwegian in addition to English and has her own law firm with offices in Madrid and Alicante. She has been the President of the Spanish-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce since year 2000. In 2014, she was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav by King Harald V for her work to promote Norwegian business and culture in Spain. Specialities include business law, project development and partner search. Says Ms Sanz: “I believe there is an enormous potential in developing business between Norway and Spain, but I also clearly see the need of a better understanding of the differences between the business cultures in our countries. We often see Spanish companies approaching the Norwegian market without fully understanding the business climate and “the way of doing”, as we see Norwegian companies doing the same mistake when trying to penetrate the Spanish market.”
Yama G.Dastgir (45) born in Kabul, Afghanistan has since 1988 worked in various parts of the world including South Asia, Western Asia, Eastern Europe , Europe and the Nordic countries. He is an entrepreneur who has established and grown several businesses. Since 1996, he has businesses in several sectors including transportation, networking, construction, and shipping related services and business development for various companies. In particular, he has successfully established and represented various Norwegian and North European companies in the region. Says Mr Dastgir: “Greece offers much more than beautiful beaches and breath-taking islands. Greece is the hub for shipping, pharmaceuticals, tourism and export of food and beverages. Above all, Greece is the place where one can find the best pool of manpower. With EXION, we are able to access real potential for companies that are willing to expand.
Oddvar Solemsli, CEO of EXION, has further growth on the agenda: “During the short period of time we have been operational, it has become very clear to us that the services we offer within strategy development, cross cultural communication, business development and organisational change are something the industry really is looking for and often does not know where to find. We have already carried out projects that have released great value for our customers and we are discussing with potential partners in different parts of the world to continue our expansion. We are also completing the team with young, resourceful people with world-class expertise in visual communication, content creation and deep understanding of IoT related issues that will help us bring more value to our clients. We especially appreciate the understanding of emerging trends and customer behaviour that our youngest team members bring to complement the partners’ extensive business experience.