Nordic Choice Hotels is planning for continued strong growth next year. In line with it, the Nordic organization is now strengthening with strategic recruitment in HR & Corporate Culture, as well as Communication & Public Relations. New Senior Vice President People & Culture will be Ann Ekengren and new Director of Communications will be Bettina Flatland.
Nordic Choice Hotels grows sharply. This applies to both the number of hotels and the number of employees. The company has the ambition of being the Nordic region’s best workplace and also wants transparency in terms of operations. To boost this, the company has now strengthened its expertise in these areas through the recruitment of new Senior Vice President People & Culture and Director of Communications. Following an external recruitment process, it has been found that the best in these areas were in their own members.
Ann Ekengren (35 years), Senior Vice President People & Culture, has been the People & Culture Manager for Sweden and Finland for the last four years. With nearly 16,000 employees in the Group, the role of HR and Corporate Culture is extremely central.
“Stordalen usually says ambitions should be high as mountains, and I’m stuck in my new role. Nordic Choice Hotels will be the best employer in the Nordic region and that is what I focus on in my new role. I am extremely pleased with the trust I received and at the same time humble for responsibility. I have many thoughts on what to do and it will be great fun to build on that list along with my team, “says Ann Ekengren.
Price gain in HR
Last year, the HR team was named the most innovative in Sweden, and previously one has been crooked to the most HBTQ-friendly workplace in Sweden. The employee survey Great Place To Work took home this year’s first place in the hotel industry in both Sweden and Norway.
“We are a value-driven company with people in focus. With Ann, we get a person motivated by developing talents to reach their full potential. She is extremely knowledgeable, has documented results in HR and at the same time she creates enthusiasm and commitment. All of this makes me confident that Ann will contribute to making Nordic Choice Hotels an even better and more attractive workplace, “says Eirik Bogsnes, Executive Vice President Hotel Services, Nordic Choice Hotels.
Ann Ekengren has taken over the new service.
Innovative communication
Bettina Flatland (31 years) is taken as Director of Communications from her current position as Communications Manager for Nordic Choice Hotels in Norway and Denmark. She has worked for the company for a total of six years and has previously been deputy director of communications as a communications officer.
“To me, it’s the combination of corporate culture, high growth ambitions and commitment to environment and diversity that make Nordic Choice Hotels a unique workplace. With a visionary owner and an offensive group management, it is never possible to predict what the next few months and years will mean and that is precisely what makes communication work both exciting and challenging. I look forward to adopting the challenge and, together with good colleagues, help to develop the best and most sustainable hotel companies in the Nordic region, “says Flatland.
Bettina Flatland has worked in Nordic Choice Hotels as a communications adviser in the Storting and worked for Geelmuyden Kiese Communications Agency in addition to his six years. She will take up her new position on July 30th.
“We are extremely pleased that Bettina has accepted new challenges for us. She has outstanding qualities in both communication and leadership. In addition, she knows the company very well and the company is also very familiar with her. We like to focus on our own talents and this recruitment is proof that it pays off, “says Bjørn Arild Wisth, Vice President Nordic Choice Hotels.