Reflections on people, culture and the opportunities shaping Protan's future.
As I approach my first six months as CEO of Protan, I find myself reflecting on what has made the strongest impression on me so far. While there have been many valuable experiences and observations, one thing stands out above all else: the people.
From my first days in Protan, I felt genuinely welcomed. Across the organisation, I met colleagues who were eager to share their knowledge, explain their work and show me what Protan is all about. Whether in Norway, Poland, Türkiye, the UK or elsewhere, I have encountered the same combination of expertise, commitment and pride. There is a genuine passion for what we do and a strong desire to contribute to the company's success.
One observation I have made during these first months is that we may not always recognise our own strengths as clearly as others do.
In conversations with customers, partners and industry stakeholders, three qualities consistently emerge when they describe Protan: expertise, closeness and pioneering.
Expertise comes from decades of experience, technical knowledge and a strong focus on quality. Closeness is reflected in the way we work with our customers. We are seen as responsive, approachable and genuinely interested in helping solve their challenges. Pioneering reflects our long tradition of innovation. From our earliest products to more recent initiatives such as ProVac, BlueProof and ProCycle, Protan has always been willing to challenge convention and develop new solutions.
Together, these qualities form a strong foundation for future growth.
Another realisation during my first six months is just how international Protan truly is. We are larger outside Norway and Scandinavia than many people realise – in terms of employees, revenue and the breadth of solutions we bring to the market.
At the same time, there is no such thing as a single market. The countries and industries we operate in are different, with different customer needs, competitive landscapes and economic cycles. What works in one market may not work in another. This means we must continue to adapt, prioritise and stay focused on where we can create the greatest value.
I believe Protan has significant opportunities ahead. In some markets we hold strong positions, while in others we are still very much the challenger. That is an exciting place to be. We have the expertise, products and people needed to grow, while still having substantial room to strengthen our position and gain market share.
Looking ahead, I do not believe we need to reinvent Protan. Instead, we should continue building on what already makes us strong.
We should deepen our expertise, remain close to our customers and preserve the innovative mindset that has shaped our company throughout its history. At the same time, we must continue embracing change. Markets evolve, technologies develop and customer expectations shift. Adaptability has always been part of Protan’s DNA, and it will remain one of our most important strengths going forward.
I also believe collaboration will become increasingly important. Not only within our own organisation, but across the wider value chain. Some of the best solutions are created when we work closely with customers, suppliers and partners to solve challenges together.
The people give me confidence
Perhaps what gives me the greatest confidence for the future is what I have seen from our people.
The past six months have been marked by high activity, significant change and a demanding market environment. Throughout this period, I have seen teams collaborate, support one another and remain focused on serving our customers. I have seen a willingness to adapt, a commitment to quality and an ability to work together across functions, countries and business areas.
Culture can be difficult to define, but for me it is about how we do things when no one is looking. It is reflected in how we work together, how we respond to challenges and how we support one another. That culture is one of Protan’s greatest strengths and will be essential to our future success.
Photo: Thomas visiting customers, distributors, business partners, Elmark, and various Protan offices and production sites in Europe.
The first half of 2026 has been both eventful and demanding. We have navigated an uncertain global environment, changing market conditions and important developments within our own organisation, while continuing to support customers across our markets.
What has impressed me most is how our people have responded. We have continued to deliver, continued to develop and continued to focus on what matters most. As we move into the second half of the year, we will continue shaping our priorities and direction towards 2030. We will build on the same strengths that have brought us this far: expertise, closeness and pioneering.
Before then, I would like to thank all employees, customers and partners for your trust, commitment and collaboration during my first six months with Protan.
Wishing you all a good summer
