Antire strengthens its investment in artificial intelligence and machine learning, and appoints Kåre Søyland as new CEO. At the same time, the company's board gets two new members with heavy AI expertise: Silvija Seres and Anette Holtedahl. The changes mark the start of the next phase of growth. The goal is to build the leading Nordic AI company.
Antire was established at the start of 2024 and is one of Norway's fastest-growing IT companies. Under the leadership of Runar Vestrheim, with Credo Partners in the back, the consultancy has gone from zero to over a hundred employees through acquisitions and organic growth. With the merger of Ratio Management and Right and the acquisitions of Sannsyn and Danish Minds and Co., a solid foundation has been laid for further development.
Runar Vestrheim, outgoing CEO of Antire, says, “Now we move on to the next phase. The strategy is to build a Nordic AI leader to help customers realize value using artificial intelligence. The goal is a group turnover of NOK 1 billion in 2030. To succeed, Antire needs a manager with deep AI expertise and extensive experience from industrial AI projects. We get that in Kåre Søyland.”
Challenging, but realistic ambitions
Kåre Søyland, Antire's new CEO, comes from the position of Head of Tech & AI at Antire and was CEO at Right. He has drawn up Antire's technology strategy and established Antire's AI Value Center, a project methodology that ensures that customers quickly get value from their investments in artificial intelligence.
Søyland says, “Antire has a rare good starting point: We have world-class technology and talent, deep industrial expertise, and an inspiring ambition. Now it's about increasing the growth rate and building powerful AI solutions. I look forward to taking the company into the next phase. We have set ourselves an ambitious but realistic goal. We will achieve this by delivering concrete AI solutions that give customers great value.”
The AI race between companies, countries, and continents is in full swing. The EU has set aside 450 billion euros for AI infrastructure. In Norway, the authorities have granted the "AI billion", while Antire customer Nscale is investing NOK 10 billion in an AI super data center near Narvik with Aker ASA and OpenAI. These are just a few examples of huge AI investments.
With the organizational changes now being made, Antire is well-positioned to reap the benefits of this AI venture.
Today, Antire delivers autonomous, agentic AI systems that monitor and optimize production lines in real time, handle complex financial processes without human intervention, and make data-driven decisions at millisecond speed. These solutions provide customers with new business opportunities.
Recruits Silvija Seres and Anette Holtedahl to the Antire board
At the same time as the management change, Antire is also strengthening the board with two high-profile technologists:
- Silvija Seres is a recognized strategist and AI expert with an education in mathematics, informatics, and management from Oxford, as well as experience from leading technology environments. She is a sought-after advisor for businesses that want to utilize AI for transformation and growth.
- Anette Holtedahl currently leads Digital & Technology New Energy in Aker Solutions. She has worked in companies such as Cognite and Microsoft, and has extensive experience utilizing data and innovative technology to strengthen competitiveness and create business value.
Silvija Seres says, “Antire has come a long way in building technological weight and has the power to execute within AI. As a new board member, I aim to contribute to further developing this position. We are building a Nordic AI leader and setting the standard for responsible and value-creating use of artificial intelligence.”
Pål H. Prydz, Chairman and Partner in Credo Partners, adds, “With Silvija and Anette, we strengthen the board with deep insight into strategic and operational use of AI. It gives us better conditions for developing Antire when technology is developing rapidly, simultaneously as we have to achieve our lofty goals.”
Strong results over several years
Prydz continues, “Runar and Credo Partners have collaborated closely since 2016 and have achieved strong results in several companies. Runar has been decisive in building Antire's strategy, culture, and position. With Kåre as the new CEO, we are clarifying the company's direction and strengthening our AI investment.”
Under Vestrheim's management, Antire has gone from being a small Norwegian player to becoming an international AI company with the ambition to lead the way in the development and commercialization of artificial intelligence. Since its start in 2024, the company has operations in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, has established a strong partner network, and is managing towards NOK 180 million in turnover in 2025. Among the customers with ongoing AI projects, we find Nscale, Höegh EVI, and Solstad Offshore.