Jørgen Watne Frydnes

Jørgen W. Frydnes is Secretary General of PEN Norway, a branch of PEN International, the global organization dedicated to protecting freedom of expression. From 2011 to September 2023, he was CEO of Utøya AS and was instrumental in the revitalization of the island following the July 22, 2011, terrorist attack. He previously spent 12 years working for the Norwegian arm of Doctors Without Borders and is a board member of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, a human rights organization focusing on Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

He holds a Master’s degree in International Politics and studied Social Sciences in York, UK, and at the University of Oslo, Norway. 

In August 2011, Jørgen Frydnes was hired to lead the process and work to rebuild the island of Utøya after the terrorist attack on 22 July, the worst terrorist attack and most traumatic event in modern Norwegian history. As CEO of Utøya AS, Frydnes has managed to lead with compassion at the intersection of public mourning and private loss, successfully balancing the political considerations of a national tragedy with the sensitivity required when interacting with families suffering inconsolable grief. 

FEATURED WORK & CORE COMPETENCIES

Humanitarian field work

Renewal of, rebuilding, and managing operations on the island of Utøya, Norway

Stakeholder relations and trust-building

Frydnes has been responsible for personal contact with hundreds of bereaved families and survivors. At the same time, he has led the work to build a unique learning center on the island. Today, thousands of people come to Utøya every year from around the world to engage in workshops, trainings, and conferences focused on fostering a commitment to democracy and countering extremism through civic and democratic engagement.

In 2020, Jørgen W. Frydnes was appointed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Frydnes is the youngest member ever to be part of the committee of five which selects the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2021, he received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award, presented annually to individuals or organizations that have contributed to the promotion of freedom of expression.

He published Ingen mann er en øy (“No Man is an Island”) in 2021.