Natural Resources >> CEO Interviews >> October 25, 1999

Jon Grude Gjedebo – Hitec Asa (hit.ol)

JON GRUDE GJEDEBO is President and CEO of Hitec ASA. He started his own business in 1973 under the name of Jon Gjedebo Kontroll. In 1984, the company name was changed to Cybernetix AS. In 1985, Mr Gjedebo founded Hitec ASA, which went public in 1994. Today, Hitec ASA is among the world's leading companies in automation for the drilling and shipping industries. Mr. Gjedebo is Chairman of the Board of Cybernetix SA. He also serves on the boards of Navis ASA and a number of Hitec's subsidiaries and associated companies. He was a member of the Stavanger City Council from 1979 to 1991. He has served on a number of public bodies and committees, including INTSOK, the Government-sponsored think- tank on the internationalisation of the Norwegian petroleum industry. He is active in several charities and voluntary organisations. In 1998, Mr Gjedebo was elected both "Entrepreneur of the Year" and "Oilman of the Year" in Norway. Profile
TWST: Can you start us off, with a bit of a background summary on Hitec

ASA. Can you give us a historical perspective and then bring us up-to-

date, with regards to your views on the company and