The awarded alumni have also demonstrated the values derived from a business school education by making a significant impact on their industry and having professional accomplishment on national or international level. On Thursday 15 April they were announced the winners of the BI Alumni Awards 2021. This year winners are: 

Distinguished Alumni Award 

Maalfrid Brath 

Position: Regional Managing Director Nordic & Baltics at ManpowerGroup 

Graduated: Siviløkonom, 1989 

Maalfrid has long time experience as a Board Member and in Top-Management positions. She sits currently as the Regional Managing Director Nordic and Baltics at Manpower Group, as a Board member in NHO and Young Enterprise Norway. For Maalfrid, her position as a head of a company is important in many aspects. Among them, she believes that it is the leaders’ responsibility to keep motivating the employees. This responsibility is key for the success and the well-being of the employees and the company’s development. Maalfrid also believes it is important to pay attention to people lives and professional development.  

Reason for nomination: 

Maalfrid has actively participated at the Board of BI, where she sat as Vice Chairman from 2011 to 2017.  She contributed for the establishment of the Alumni Advisory Board, which help strengthen the relationship between students and business. Through the years she has worked to encourage other fellow graduates to maintain their connection to BI. According to her, the rapid development in the labour market means that BI graduates will need to update their knowledge and revitalize their professional network.   

Young Alumni Award 

During his period as a BI student, Nikolai represented BI in the BI International Case Competition and was an active member of the local BI student organization in Trondheim. During his last year as a bachelor student, he was awarded the London Bridge Ward Scholarship to study at Cass Business School. While studying in London, he was offered an internship position at the London Stock Exchange. He was also offered a position as a trader at Beringer Finance, right after he finished his bachelor’s studies at BI.   

In addition to his studies, Nikolai had many projects at hand. One of them was realized in 2019, when he set out on a 40-day's journey to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an 8-meter-long rowing boat, becoming the youngest Norwegian to achieve this goal. In 2020, while he was writing his master's thesis, and after his experience crossing the Atlantic Ocean where he was constantly met with pools of garbage floating at the sea, Nikolai decided to do something to fight ocean pollution. Together with two companions he started BlueC, a company that builds its business model around marine-based ecosystem services. 

Nikolai is currently working in the public sector, as a special advisor at Bærum Municipality where he manages groups and projects for children with special needs. Nikolai is also currently studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Paramedicine.  

Reasons for nomination:  

Nikolai has participated as “Inspiring Graduate Guest” and given presentations to help recruiting new students at BI’s campus in Trondheim. He has volunteered to help with student recruitment for BI, traveling around Trondheim and Mid-Norway as a speaker and BI brand ambassador.