Equinor’s nomination committee has recommended that the company’s corporate assembly elect Jarle Roth as the new chairman of the board, marking a significant leadership transition at Norway’s state-controlled energy major.
The recommendation comes as current Chairman Jon Erik Reinhardsen, who has led the board since 2017, seeks to step down from his position. The proposed change is scheduled to take effect on July 1, pending approval at Equinor’s corporate assembly meeting on June 8.
Roth joined Equinor’s board in December 2025 and brings decades of executive and boardroom experience across industrial, financial, and maritime sectors. He currently works as an independent advisor and has previously served as chief executive of several Norwegian companies, including export financing specialist Eksportkreditt Norge, renewable-focused investment company Arendals Fossekompani, Umoe Group, Schat-Harding, and Unitor.
His background spans industrial investment management, energy transition initiatives, corporate restructuring, and international business operations across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Roth has also previously chaired Equinor’s nomination committee and corporate assembly, giving him extensive familiarity with the company’s governance structure.
Alongside Roth’s nomination, the committee recommended the re-election of Anne Drinkwater as deputy chair and board members Finn Bjørn Ruyter, Haakon Bruun-Hanssen, Mikael Karlsson, Fernanda Lopes Larsen, and Dawn Summers.
The proposed leadership change comes as Equinor continues to balance investment in its core oil and gas portfolio with growing commitments to low-carbon energy projects. Board leadership transitions are closely watched by investors, given the company’s central role in European energy markets and Norway’s position as one of the continent’s largest energy suppliers.
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