This week, it’s Torjus Lauvdal’s turn! He’s PURE WATER’s new CFO – a role he recently changed to, and it’s about time we ask him about his experience, his water habits, and his ideas about a #purefuture.
Can you tell us more about your new role at PURE WATER?
“As CFO in PURE WATER I have several roles, which really excites me. In the coming years I look forward to challenging myself and PURE WATER by developing a modern and digital Finance function where people, processes and a robust system landscape will enable Finance to create value for the whole organisation. By becoming an efficient and valued business partner we seek to support both the internal development of the organisation and activities to meet commercial targets and drive growth. As CFO at PURE WATER it is important for me to be connected to every part of the business in order to understand and support our operating model. This means leading the Finance function, engaging in discussions with our Head of Operations and being both a supporter and a critical challenger to the CEO and the Board.
What do you like most about being part of the #purefuture movement?
“PURE WATER has a unique market position where our PURE Brand is something that we can be really proud of. People ask me: why would anyone buy water in Norway? As soon as they learn more about the #purefuture movement they are quickly convinced that reducing environmental threats by choosing PURE WATER is simply clever. Being one of the people behind driving this development in a time where environmental focus is rapidly becoming stronger, and of course critical, makes me proud and motivated to PUREify the future.”
What’s your background in?
“My career started off by spending the first four years after high school in the Norwegian Army. As an NCO student, Sergeant and Second Lieutenant in my early twenties I learned a lot about my own capacities and opportunities to grow as a person by understanding how to lead other people in demanding situations, climates and phases of life. Following the army years, I graduated from BI Norwegian Business School with a MSc Business, Finance. During the last year of my studies, a series of events led me to becoming a part of PURE WATER’s Finance function, which I really enjoyed being a part of. However, as a result of a summer internship in Deloitte right before joining PURE WATER I signed a contract with Deloitte Consulting a year before graduation and therefore had to leave PURE WATER. My path then led me to one year of Finance Consulting in Deloitte, Oslo, where I learned so much and developed skills that I don’t think I would have learned everywhere else. The most interesting part was to learn about the CFO role and all the facets of leading a finance function as a business partner and also having to interact with multiple stakeholders, with the Board and the CEO as the most important ones. I really liked being at Deloitte and in consulting for a lot of reasons, but when PURE WATER called me one day and proposed the opportunity to become the new CFO of the company I had once been a part of with people, values and a product that I really appreciated, I didn’t have doubt in my mind, this was it!”
Where can we find you on a day off?
“My fiancé and our daughter (almost 2 years old) are my top priority when I have time off. Just spending time together as a family is very important to me and really gives me time to relax and charge the batteries and clear the mind. Other than that we are currently refurbishing our house. I think that an alternative career as a carpenter could have suited my practical mind quite well actually! I think my friends are understanding of my situation as a family man and I am so grateful to meet their warm greetings on the occasions where I go out for a social evening.”
How do you drink your water?
“I pour 80% PUREstill followed by 30% of PUREsparkling moments on top!”
