Meet Sivert Werner Kristiansen, Data Analytics Manager, Oslo

At Wilhelmsen Global Business Services (GBS) in Oslo, Sivert Werner Kristiansen leads a data analytics team helping colleagues across the group turn complex information into useful insight. Here he shares what his role involves and how the team works. 

Turning data into actionable insight 

Sivert’s team turns raw data into information that can support decision-making across Wilhelmsen. 

That means building and improving data systems and pipelines that can support business needs over time, while making sure the information people depend on is available when they need it. With services used by thousands of colleagues worldwide, there's also a substantial coordination element to the job. 

“There’s a lot of stakeholder management, with many moving parts that aren’t always visible,” Sivert explains. 

Good analytics, he stresses, is not simply about reporting what has already happened. It means fundamentally understanding what colleagues are trying to achieve and using data to help them make better decisions. 

As manager, Sivert balances deliverables against available resources, sets priorities and direction for the team and works with stakeholders across the organisation. His responsibilities also include defining roles and recruitment briefs for HR, both in Oslo and now in Singapore. 

“You’re never ‘finished’ or fully learned. It’s a fast-moving field, especially with AI, and you have to keep up. That’s exciting.” 

A fast-moving field 

Sivert studied Data Science for Business at BI Norwegian Business School before working in digital marketing and consulting. Those roles showed him both the potential of data and how often decisions were still based on instinct rather than evidence. 

“I developed a real interest in that unexploited potential.” 

Consultancy gave him pace and variety, but he wanted to stay closer to the solutions he was helping to build. 

“I enjoyed consultancy – the pace and variety – but you come in, build something and then move on. I wanted to stay closer to what’s being built and see it develop over time.” 

That brought him to Wilhelmsen GBS, initially as a Data Engineer. His move into management came earlier than expected and changed the nature of his work. 

“As a developer, your work is quite tangible. As a manager, a lot of the value comes from making sure people communicate well and letting go of control.” 

Giving people space to do their best work 

For Sivert, managing a technical team is as much about people as technology. Understanding individual strengths, building trust and keeping communication flowing are central parts of the job. 

“You have to trust people, understand their strengths and accept that others are better than you in certain areas.” 

Technical expertise matters, but so do curiosity, enthusiasm and the ability to understand what internal customers need. 

“Technical ability is important for sure – but skills can be learned and developed. What matters more is genuine enthusiasm and curiosity.” 

The international nature of Wilhelmsen also means working with colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds. 

“We constantly interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds, which creates a lot of interesting exchanges.” 

For Sivert, leadership comes down to trust, direction and giving people room to perform. 

“It's about setting direction and momentum while giving people the space to do their best work.”