A team player at work and in life

From early on, Agnar stood out as a team player – both on the football pitch and at work – quickly becoming foreman in the electrical department. “I knew how good I was, but there were ten others on the team who also had to be good. That’s how it works at work too – you need everyone on board.”

Originally from Øvre Årdal, he moved to Porsgrunn in 1969 when his father became party secretary for the Labour Party in Telemark. Agnar carried those values with him throughout life: a social democrat with strong roots in the trade union movement. “The first day I started at Hydro, the union leader handed me the membership book,” he says with a smile.

Talented footballer

Football played a major role in his early years. He won the Norwegian junior championship with Pors in 1973 and played six matches for Norway’s junior national team. “It was an adventure. We played against stars like Søren Lerby and Frank Arnesen.” Though he retired from active play at 21, he remained deeply involved, coaching Urædd for 20 years and working with youth talent in the region.

Hydro

At Hydro’s in-house training school, Agnar appreciated the mix of theory and hands-on experience. “The teachers were civil engineers from the plants – really skilled people.” He chose to stay at Hydro and never looked back. In 1987, he was asked – not told – to take on the role of foreman. “I actually thought they were joking at first,” he laughs. “I asked for a day to think about it – and then said yes.”

As a leader, Agnar’s focus was on people: “If you’ve got a team of ten and a few are unhappy, the team isn’t working as it should. A leader has to listen and adapt.” He believes in people’s potential – “Everyone can. But sometimes they need someone around them who helps make it possible.”

Union representative

Deeply rooted in social democratic values and the trade union movement, Agnar also served as a union representative within FLT (the Norwegian Union of Management and Technology) after the plant became part of Ineos. Balancing leadership and union roles, he always made it clear which “hat” he was wearing, committed to looking after his colleagues in both capacities.

A keen sports fisherman

Now retired, Agnar enjoys time with his grandchildren, fishing, cycling, skiing and following football. “Sometimes I still think about what I’m doing tomorrow at work – then I have to remind myself I’ve got the day off.” He’s active in Grenland Sports Fishers and the Trekking Association, often out in Svanstul or the mountains. “It’s a passion, being outdoors with a rod. I haven’t taken on any new roles yet – but I’m drawn to communities where people achieve something together. That’s what drives me.”