Contact us

Arne Smedberg

CEO
+46 70-817 42 30
arne.smedberg(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Bachelor of science in System science and Marketing and MBA in quality management, Umeå University

EXPERIENCE
Since 2010 Mr. Arne Smedberg has been CEO of BioFuel Region. Arne has 20+ years of experience in the energy field. He was previously regional manager for Svensk Energi, an industry organisation representing 380 Swedish utility and energy companies. He has worked as an engineer in process industries and worked with quality management for SMEs and energy companies. He has also worked with economic visualisation for companies in different branches and has been manager for an adventure company in the mountains.

Barbro Kalla

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

+46 70-683 04 27
barbro.kalla(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Master of Arts (MA) in languages education, Umeå University
Media and Communication, Umeå University

EXPERIENCE
Barbro Kalla began her career educating teenagers in language. She then worked 15 years as a consultant providing competence-enhancing services to companies, NGO’s, municipalities and regional bodies, who were entering the world of sustainable development. Her international expertise focuses on transfer of knowledge among project partners and reaching out to external target groups. She draws on her experience from the public sector, business and research and development. A lifelong mission has been to provide children and young adults the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to play a constructive role in the current and future transition of society towards sustainability. She has worked at BioFuel Region since 2012 with both strategy and implementation of communication plans, including gender and gender mainstreaming.

Today, Barbro is developing ways to communicate research results to people outside academia. The transfer of knowledge is aiming to integrate research findings into practice. Ongoing assignments for Barbro are also working to influence opinions to strengthen the bioeconomy and the development of alternative fuels in northern Sweden.

Moa Jonsson

Communications Officer
+46 70- 666 45 38
moa.jonsson(at)biofuelregion.se

Magnus Matisons

PROJECT MANAGER BIOECONOMY
+46 70-352 44 94
magnus.matisons(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Master of Science in Forestry.
PhD work and several scientific publications in the area of forest energy systems.

EXPERIENCE
Magnus Matisons is senior project manager for focus area Bio-economy with 20 years of experience from work with different aspects of forestry/forest energy supply chain from within and outside of academia. Magnus has experience managing a wood pellet mill and raw material logistics in Latvia. He has also worked with international trade in pellets. He has coordinated the EU-funded (Interreg Botnia-Atlantica) projects Forest Power and Forest Refine between partners in Sweden and Finland. The overall aim of these projects has been to analyze and cut costs in the forest biomass supply chain to CHPs and forest biorefineries. 

Magnus is today active in opinion formation about the role of forest in climate and energy policies delivering support to both regional forest strategies, national bioeconomy polices and positions aiming to influence EU policies. 

Johan Lagrelius

PROJECT MANAGER AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

+46 70 345 25 56
johan.lagrelius(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering Biology, Linköping Technical University (LiTH)
Master of Arts (MA) in Science Journalism, Umeå University.

EXPERIENCE
Johan Lagrelius is project manager focused mainly on electromobility and a low carbon vehicle fleet. He complements the BioFuel Region project management portfolio with expertise in mobility management, sustainable living and sustainable construction. Johan has experience of coordinating large international EU projects with over 30 partners, e.g. EU FP5 projects developing and clinical testing HIV vaccines.

He has excellent communication skills and experience as responsible for coordination, communication and dissemination of the Sustainable Ålidhem project, which won the Sustainable Energy Europe (SEE) Award 2013 in the category Sustainable Living and won the national Energy Globe Award. Presently, Johan is communications manager for a regional EU-funded project deploying infrastructure for fast-charging of EVs in the region. He is contributing author of a book on Sustainable Urban Development in Sweden written in English.

Ida Norberg

PROJECT MANAGER 

+46 70 331 54 31
ida.norberg(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Technical Doctor (PhD) in Fibre- and Polymer Science, KTH. “Carbon fibres from kraft lignin”
Master of Science (MSc) in Technical Chemistry, Umeå University.  

EXPERIENCE
Ida Norberg is project manager in the Bioeconomy field. She has many years of experience from research in the biorefinery area, primarily focused on lignin. Ida has also worked in the agricultural field with, for example, bioenergy and biogas. During the daily work at BioFuel Region, Ida’s experience serves as a bridge between R&D and business and society. Ida has excellent skills as a project manager.

Hanna Olovsson

PROJECT MANAGER AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

+46 70 331 54 34
hanna.olovsson(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Social Psychology, Uppsala University
Master of Arts (MA) in Leadership and Organisation, Umeå University.

EXPERIENCE

Hanna has been working in the field of sustainable development and behaviour change for most of her career. She did her master thesis in New Zeeland as a visiting scholar where she studied ways to facilitate communication between different organisations with shared interest for sustainable development.  After graduation she started working as a project manager and sustainable travel advisor in Region Västernorrland where she specialised in organisational change, policy instruments and mobility management.

Her experience also involves environmental communication and nudging as a method for positive reinforcement – simplifying choices to influence behaviour and decision making towards more sustainable choices for groups and individuals. Hanna has also worked as the project lead for a large EU-funded project in the region of Jönköping coordinating municipalities, regions and businesses promoting collaboration between fields and organisations. In her role at Biofuel Region she advocates knowledge transfer and collaboration processes, highlighting concrete solutions for sustainable transports in northern Sweden.

Eva Fridman

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

+46 70-263 51 62
eva.fridman(at)biofuelregion.se

EDUCATION
Master of Science in Forestry
PhD work in the area of multi layered forestry

EXPERIENCE
Eva Fridman is senior project manager for the project “Fossile-free flight in northern Sweden” with a 30 years of experience from work with different aspects of communication, sustainability, biofuels and innovation, with forest as the common denominator. Eva was previously CEO at BioFuel Region and has held similar positions in companies dealing with raw material extraction and innovation support. She’s experienced in national and international strategic work concerning sustainability, climate and energy issues. Six years ago she started her own company and has primarily been working with managing support regarding the development of new market areas for forest raw material.