Mission, Vision and Long-Term Goals

Mission

To establish a resilient, high-capacity digital backbone through the Central Arctic Ocean, providing secure and sovereign connectivity between Europe, North America and East Asia, along the shortest viable route. 

Vision

To shape the future of global digital connectivity by establishing the Polar Connect submarine fibre cable as a secure and sustainable Arctic route, supporting resilience, sovereignty, innovation and economic growth.

Long-Term Goals 

• Establish Polar Connect as the first sovereign and sustainable digital highway across the Central Arctic Ocean, on the shortest possible path, to secure critical communication and global connectivity, creating stronger collaboration
between Europe, North America and East Asia.

• Enable business opportunities and sustainable economic growth for the regions connected and beyond by expanding global connectivity.

• Contribute to advanced scientific research and technological innovation through integrated sensing capabilities and foster cross-sector collaboration.

Who we are?

Polar Connect is a collaboration of government owned entities NORDUnet, Sunet (Sweden), CSC (Finland), Sikt (Norway), DeiC (Denmark), RHnet (Iceland) and the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, backed by funding and support from the Swedish Government through the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the European Union through CEF Digital. 
The initiative is progressed through a series of projects funded by direct state budget investment and strategic grants from European Union, focusing on the design, planning, and feasibility of this resilient and future-proof digital corridor.

Advisory Board

Per Nihlén

Per Nihlén

Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board and Chief Technology Officer and Inventory
Sunet, Swedish Research Council

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Katarina Gårdfeldt

Director of Swedish Polar Research Secretariat

Martin Bech

Martin Bech

Chief Technology Officer at DeiC

Guðmundur H Kjærnested

Guðmundur H Kjærnested

Chief Technology Officer, Director of the Division of Information Technology
University of Iceland

Jørgen Qvist

Jørgen Qvist

Chief Operating Officer at NORDUnet

Tom A. Røtting

Tom A. Røtting

Executive Director at the Data and Infrastructure Division at Sikt

Pekka Uusitalo

Pekka Uusitalo

Director of Industry Engagement and Partnerships at CSC – IT Center for Science

Executive Team

Elizabeth Sandström Greenfield

Elizabeth Sandström Greenfield

Chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team and Senior Advisor
Sunet, Swedish Research Council

Erik-Jan Bos

Erik-Jan Bos

Co-chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team and Senior Advisor
NORDUnet

Ieva Muraskiene

Ieva Muraskiene

Strategy and Policy Officer
NORDUnet

portrait

Lisa Olsson

Project Manager of Polar Connect Step 1
Sunet, Swedish Research Council

Magnus Friberg

Magnus Friberg

Project Manager of North Pole Fiber and Senior Advisor
Sunet, Swedish Research Council

Per Nihlén

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board and Chief Technology Officer and Inventory

Per is the Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board . He serves as Head of Unit at  the Swedish Research Council, where he leads the development and operation of Sweden’s national infrastructure for research and education in networking and digital communication. With over three decades of experience in digital infrastructure and public-sector innovation, Per leadership has been instrumental in advancing high-capacity networks that support research collaboration, data-intensive science, and education across the Nordic region. Per is also Chair of the Board of the Foundation for the Development of Telematics, a grant-making foundation that supports the advancement of high-performance digital infrastructure in Sweden. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Netnod, representing the foundation as owner and contributing to the governance of Sweden’s critical internet infrastructure. Per has been a trusted advisor to government agencies, research institutions, and international collaborations.

Katarina Gårdfeldt

Organisation: Swedish Polar Research Secretariat
Title: Director

Katarina is the Director of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, a position she has held since January 2018. She is a former Professor of Inorganic Environmental Chemistry at Chalmers University of Technology. Her research focused on the global distribution and transformation of mercury and microplastics, and she has participated in around twenty expeditions to Antarctica, the Arctic and the Mediterranean. She initiated the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Northern Europe (SDSN NE), a regional node within the global SDSN for the UN 2030 Agenda. She is also the Chair of the National Committee for Global Environmental Change at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA).

Martin Bech

Organisation: Deic
Title: Chief Technology Officer

Martin is head of NREN (National Research and Education Network) at DeiC (Danish e-Infrastructure Consortium), a post he has had since 2001. With a career spanning four decades, Martin has been a central figure in shaping Denmark’s digital infrastructure and cyber security landscape from the very first internet connections, services and security challenges. Among his achievements is the management and development of the DIX (Danish Internet Exchange), the national identity federation, the design of the health data network and most notably the continuous expansion of the research network to become a critical infrastructure covering 350 points in the country.

Martin holds an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and is widely recognized for his ability to combine technical expertise with strategic vision, enabling sustainable growth and secure digital transformation.

Guðmundur H Kjærnested

Organisation: University of Iceland
Title: Chief Technology Officer, Director of the Division of Information Technology

Guðmundur is the Chief Technology Officer and Director of the Division of Information Technology at the University of Iceland, where he leads the university’s central IT administration. Since 2017, he has been responsible for shaping the institution’s digital strategy, overseeing infrastructure, and driving innovation to support research, teaching, and administration at one of Iceland’s leading academic institutions. With more than three decades of experience in information technology leadership, Guðmundur has held senior roles across government, banking, and academia. Prior to joining the University of Iceland, he served as IT Director for the Government Offices of Iceland (2004–2017), where he managed nationwide IT operations and digital transformation initiatives. Earlier in his career, he directed IT functions at Landsbanki (1998–2003), focusing on investment and retail banking systems, and at the Icelandic Tax Authority (1992–1998), where he modernized core IT services. He also gained project management experience at Focal Point (2003–2004), contributing to technology-driven development projects. Guðmundur’s academic foundation combines both Icelandic and international expertise: he earned his B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Iceland and later completed a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). This strong educational background has underpinned his ability to lead complex IT organizations and deliver technology strategies at scale.

Jørgen Qvist

Organisation: NORDUnet
Title: Chief Operating Officer

Jørgen is the Chief Operating Officer of NORDUnet, bringing more than two decades of experience in telecommunications, IT, and research-network operations. Known for his practical, hands-on approach, Jørgen has built a career on “making things work”—turning complex technical environments into reliable, high-quality services. Since joining NORDUnet in 2008, he has led service delivery, network operations, and infrastructure development, and today heads the Core Services Division, covering network engineering, systems integration, and software development. His earlier career includes senior roles at Verizon, butlerNetworks, and General Electric Information Services. Jørgen is also highly engaged in Nordic, European, and global collaborations within the research and education community, contributing to initiatives in global service delivery and network peering. He holds a Diploma in Engineering Business Administration from the Copenhagen College of Engineering and has studied specialized IT at Copenhagen Business School.

Tom A. Røtting

Organisation: Sikt
Title: Executive Director at the Data and Infrastructure Division

Tom is an experienced executive specializing in power systems, software, and digital transformation. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Programming and a master’s degree in Theoretical Physics. With 30 years in leadership roles, he has a proven track record in strategy, business development, and internationalization. As CEO of Uninett AS, he led successful restructuring initiatives, increasing revenue by 50% and improving profitability. At Powel AS, he drove the company’s transformation into an international software leader, establishing operations in 25 countries. As EVP at Sikt, Tom has continued the work initiated at Uninett, focusing on revenue growth, innovation and digital transformation. Tom has extensive board experience across various industries, where he has contributed to strategic planning, organizational development, and growth initiatives. His board roles have allowed him to provide valuable insights on governance, innovation, and operational excellence, particularly in the energy, ICT, and software sectors.

Pekka Uusitalo

Organisation: CSC – IT Center for Science
Title: Director of Industry Engagement and Partnerships

Pekka is an experienced technology executive with over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and partner management across leading global technology companies. With a career spanning from Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, and Juniper Networks, Pekka has built a strong track record in driving growth through strategic customer engagement, global partnerships, and channel-driven go-to-market models. Currently, Pekka serves as Director of Industry Engagement and Partnerships at CSC – IT Center for Science, where he leads CSC’s industrial engagement business unit. In this role, he spearheads initiatives to accelerate Finnish companies’ research, development, and innovation (RDI) activities by leveraging the EuroHPC LUMI supercomputer, one of the world’s most advanced high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. Under his leadership, CSC plays a pivotal role in bridging industry and academia, enabling Finnish industries to harness HPC and AI for breakthroughs in engineering, life sciences, environmental research, and physics. Pekka’s technology focus has evolved from IP networking to today’s cutting-edge domains of HPC and artificial intelligence, reflecting his forward-looking mindset and ability to adapt to transformative technologies. His leadership has been instrumental in positioning CSC as a key player in the EuroHPC LUMI consortium, hosting the LUMI supercomputer in Kajaani, Finland. Beyond CSC, Pekka contributes to the broader Nordic and Finnish technology ecosystem through board memberships, including NORDUnet (Board Member since 2018, Chairman 2018–2020) and Otaverkko Oy (2018–2023).

Elizabeth Sandström Greenfield

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team and Senior Advisor, Public and Government Relations

Elizabeth serves as the Chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team. She is Senior Advisor at the Swedish Research Council, specializing in Government Relations and Public Affairs for Polar Connect. With over 25 years of experience in international relations and multilateral negotiations, Elizabeth has worked extensively with the European Union and the United Nations. Her career includes key roles within Swedish government agencies, including the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, and the Ministry of Finance. Elizabeth has also held prominent international positions, spending more than a decade in the United States with Business Sweden, and seven years with the British Government and UK Trade & Investment. In the later role, she served as the Nordic-Baltic Lead for the IT, Defence, and Security sectors.

Erik-Jan Bos

Organisation: NORDUnet
Title: Co-chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team and Senior Advisor

Erik-Jan serves as the Co-chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team. He has a vast experience in designing and building advanced data (network) systems and leading large and international multi-stakeholder community efforts. His largest project right now is advancing the plans for Polar Connect. Before working for NORDUnet, Erik-Jan worked at SURFnet, the Dutch national R&E Network, for more than 23 years. During this period he led his teams in designing, procuring, contracting, building and operating the various instances of SURFnet’s world leading network infrastructure. When he left SURFnet, back in 2011, he was SURFnet’s CTO. In the ~35 years that Erik-Jan has been working in advanced IT and management areas, he always believed that collaboration is key.

Ieva Muraškienė

Organisation: NORDUnet
Title: Strategy and Policy Officer

Ieva is Strategy and Policy Officer at NORDUnet and a member of the Polar Connect Executive Team, contributing to one of Europe’s most ambitious digital connectivity initiatives. She plays a key leadership role in advancing Polar Connect’s mission. Ieva oversees cross-disciplinary project activities, working with experts on Arctic navigation, fibre-sensing technologies, and engagement with Arctic research communities. Her career in research and education networks spans more than 15 years, beginning at Lithuania’s NREN LITNET and later progressing into international coordination roles within GÉANT projects, including the Baltic Sea Regional Study and the EaPConnect project. This year Ieva joined the GÉANT Network Infrastructure Advisory Committee as a chair, together with other members advising on the development of the GÉANT pan-European backbone network. Since joining NORDUnet in 2022, Ieva has been contributing to NORDUnet’s strategic mission with the Polar Connect initiative at the forefront of her work.

Lisa Olsson

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Project Manager of Polar Connect Step 1

Lisa is a senior project manager at the Swedish Research Council, where she leads the coordination of the EU co-funded projects within the Polar Connect initiative. Lisa is also a member of the Executive Team, where her work focuses on fostering international collaboration within Polar Connect, with a particular emphasis on strategic alignment between national and European collaboration. Lisa holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Gothenburg, where her research explored organisational psychology and the intersection of leadership and creativity in knowledge intense environments. Prior to joining the Swedish Research Council and Polar Connect, Lisa built a strong foundation in Open Science through key roles at Stockholm University and the National Library of Sweden. There, she developed policies and contributed to national efforts to promote open access, open data, open educational resources, and digital infrastructures for scholarly communication.

Magnus Friberg

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Project Manager of North Pole Fiber and Senior Advisor 

Magnus’s research background is to develop new methods for geophysical exploration and to apply geophysical methods to address problems such as nuclear waste management, geothermal energy, brown field remediation and archaeology. He currently works with research infrastructure management and represents Sweden and the Swedish Research Council in European and international organizations. Among others, Magnus is or has been the Swedish representative to the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, the Environmental working group in European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI EnvSWG) and national expert to Horizon Europe Cluster 5 on Climate, Energy and Mobility. Magnus has also had the role of Swedish negotiator for setting up agreements linked to European and international research infrastructures and programmes such as the European Spallation Source-ERIC, EISCAT-3D, Integrated Carbon Observatory System (ICOS-ERIC) and JPI-Climate. He has been chair of the European Consortium for Ocean Drilling and led the work to set up several national research infrastructures as well as represented Sweden’s interest in international organizations for Arctic research and policy making such as International Arctic Science Council and the Arctic Council.

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