Today, the Alaska World Affairs Council hosted a timely and insightful virtual conversation exploring what Alaska can learn from the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund—Norway’s $2 trillion Government Pension Fund Global. With Alaska’s own Permanent Fund serving as a cornerstone of our state’s economic future, this discussion offered valuable context, comparisons, and lessons for policymakers and the public alike.
We were honored to be joined by two experts from Norges Bank Investment Management: Paul Marcussen, Lead Portfolio Manager, and Roar Wold, Lead Advisor for External Relations. The conversation was moderated by Lise Kristiansen, Honorary Consul of Norway in Alaska, whose thoughtful questions helped illuminate both the global strategies behind the fund and the parallels to Alaska’s resource-based economy.
If you missed the live event—or want to revisit any part of the discussion—you can watch the full recording here.
Speaker Bios
Paul Marcussen is a Lead Portfolio Manager on the external strategies team at Norges Bank Investment Management, where he oversees allocations to active fund managers in Korea, South Africa, London, and select U.S. sectors. He also heads the New York office.
Originally from Sarpsborg, Norway, Paul moved to the United States for college. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the Norwegian Navy before earning a master’s degree in finance from the London Business School. His career has included roles in equity research and portfolio management at Morgan Stanley, Salomon Smith Barney, and Gjensidige.
Roar Wold currently serves as Lead Advisor for External Relations at Norges Bank Investment Management and previously held the role of Senior Communication Advisor. His prior experience includes strategic communications work for the Norwegian Armed Forces, where he served in multiple roles from 2009 to 2019, including spokesperson for the Chief of Defence. He also provided communications and media relations support for NATO Maritime Command and held a senior communications position with Norway’s military personnel and conscription services.
Roar’s background also includes journalism experience at E24.no. He holds a Master of Science in Political Economy from BI Norwegian Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.