The winners have demonstrated the values of a business school education by making a significant impact on their industry and professional accomplishments on a national or international level.
This year’s winners were announced on 15 April. They are:
Distinguished Alumni Award 
Maalfrid Brath
- Position: Regional Managing Director Nordic & Baltics at ManpowerGroup
- Graduated: Siviløkonom, 1989
Maalfrid has long experience as a board member and in top-management positions. She is currently the Regional Managing Director Nordic and Baltics at Manpower Group and sits as Chairman of the board of Junior Achievement Norway and as a board member of NHO and Kiron ASA.
For Maalfrid, her position as a head of a company is important in many respects. Among them, she believes that it is the leaders’ responsibility to motivate employees, and that this is key to the success and well-being of employees and the company’s development. Maalfrid believes it is important to pay attention to people lives and professional development.
Reason for nomination:
Maalfrid has actively participated in the Board of BI, where she sat as Vice Chairman from 2011 to 2017. She contributed to the establishment of the Alumni Advisory Board, which helped strengthen the relationship between students and business.
Through many years she has worked to encourage fellow graduates to maintain their connection to BI. According to her, the rapid development of the labour market means that BI graduates will need to update their knowledge and revitalize their professional network.
Young Alumni Award
Nikolai Herman Skeie Wiencke
- Position: Co-Founder of BlueCs and Special Consultant at Bærum Kommune
- Graduated: Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, 2017, Campus Trondheim
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.
Nikolai engaged in many projects alongside his studies. One of them was realized in 2019, when he set out on a 40-day journey to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an 8-meter 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 partners 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 recruit 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.