#Christmas talk with Dagfinn

Can you give us a short summary of your 2022 - Cegalway?

This is a year that I will never forget. We have been through a major merger, and have managed to do it at the same time as we have gained incredible momentum in the market. We are growing faster than our competitors, and we are truly building something very special - the world's best tech company for the energy sector, which will contribute to a more sustainable future. 🌍

Personally, I also got a new job in 2022 and feel incredibly lucky to be allowed to lead such a company with so many talented people, and such great potential. I often say that I must have one of the coolest tech jobs in Norway, and I genuinly mean that it is.

A good colleague summarized the year very accurate the other day: "Dagfinn, I'm tired, but proud". I think that was well put, because that's exactly how I feel now too - tired, but proud.

What is the best thing about Christmas?

I really enjoy the time off to relax with family and friends. In order to be able to perform throughout the year, it is important for me to disconnect from time to time. I neither can, nor want, to be switched on all the time, and I don't want others in Cegal to be either. Christmas is relaxation for me, and when everything is ready for Christmas the evening before Christmas Eve, I turn on "The Night before the Night" on NRK, have a cold beer and look at our Christmas tree. 🎄 The peacefulness is the best thing about Christmas. In addition, there is of course delicious food and gifts. I have everything I need, so have become more fond of giving gifts in my older days.

This year's plan for the Christmas holidays?

This Christmas will be a bit special for me, because unfortunately I have been through a breakup this year, and it has been both painful and difficult. That's why I actually dreaded Christmas a little this year. But, we have agreed to spend Christmas together, and I am very grateful for that. On Christmas Eve, there will be 16 of us, with both my parents and parents-in-law, as well as other family on both sides, so I think it will be very nice for both the children and us adults.

On the third day of Christmas, it is a tradition that I invite old childhood friends from Vålerenga to "Romjulshockeypoker" which translates to Christmas ice hockey and poker. Then we play hockey for three hours, before we go to my house and play poker, eat pizza, listen to music, and talk about the old glory days. They are my best friends and a day/evening like this is so enjoyable.

After that I go to the cabin at Gaustablikk to ski and continue the relaxation. This truly is balm for my soul. ⛷️

Is there something you can't spend Christmas without?

Clementines 🍊
What's the deal with clementines anyway? They appear quite suddenly in December, and disappear just as suddenly in January. Strange stuff, but they're tasty and something I must have for Christmas.

Best Christmas food?

"Pinnekjøtt" (cured, dried and sometimes smoked rib of lamb).

It is simple because I was born in, and most of my relatives live in, Western Norway (Pinnekjøtt it is a tradition in the western part of Norway).

Here's a tip, though: Pinnekjøtt should be fresh only salted and dried, not smoked. There's no need for having it in water for hours to get some of the salt out like many Norwegians do. Try just steaming it, it tastes absolutely marvelous. You'll never go back.

Best Christmas movie?

The Nightmare Before Christmas - an original, funny and visually stunning animated film by Tim Burton with magical music by Danny Elfman.

Best Christmas music?

I'm very fond of Norwegian music for Christmas, and Oslo Gospel Choir's Christmas concert and the performance of Kaizers Orchestra "Begravelsespolka" from 2012 on Danish TV is brilliant. I have a dedicated play list on Spotify called "Cabin Chill" for recharging at my cabin, and another called "Power Metal" for downhill skiing. That probably describes the variety in my passion for music quite well. 😊

Watch Begravelsespolka by Kaizers Orchestra on Youtube

Any funny memories of Christmas celebrations?

I got married in Rio de Janeiro on Boxing Day in 2003. 450 guests and 45 visitors from Norway. It was an absolutely amazing party, a fantastic experience and a memory for life.

Do you have any childhood memories of Christmas?

The best childhood memories were the excruciating wait for the presents and the euphoria of getting something you had wanted for a whole year. I still remember how happy I was the year I got a Stiga Snow Racer that my other friends already had (and which I was very jealous of), when I got the Kiss Alive II double album (wrapped in a trick package with lots of towels) from my mom and dad, and when I got new Koho GL3 hockey gloves that we couldn't really afford.

I think it's a little sad that this magic of Christmas presents has been lost a little in an everyday life of abundance where many people "have everything" and sit and exchange money and gift cards on Christmas Eve. There is nothing nicer than getting something small that shows that someone else knows something about and cares about you, or giving something that shows that you know something about and care about others.

What do you see for 2023 - Cegalway?

I wish that we continue to deliver as strong results as we are doing now and that we continue to win as a result of merging Cegal and SYSCO. In addition, I hope that our people, even though we, like everyone else, are not perfect and have a good portion of tangles with which we need to untangle, continue to feel good with us and choose to stay. I hope Cegal is a company they believe in, because the energy industry is slightly safer waters in what could be a rather turbulent economic future. I hope they stay because Cegal is a place where people are included, and because it is a cool tech company that contributes to something meaningful in the most important industry we have for a more sustainable future.

Dagfinn and childhood friends from Vålerenga enjoying the "Romjulshocky" a tradition on the third day of Christmas.