Kikki Flesche Kleiven New Chair of the Board at CMI

Kikki (Helga) Flesche Kleiven has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board at the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI). Kleiven is a marine geologist and Director of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research at the University of Bergen.

Kikki Flesche Kleiven has been a prominent leader, researcher, and communicator in climate science for over two decades. As Director of the Bjerknes Centre, a partnership between the University of Bergen, NORCE, the Institute of Marine Research, and the Nansen Center, she leads a center comprising more than 200 researchers from 40 different countries.

"We are very pleased to welcome Kikki Flesche Kleiven as the new Chair of the Board. Her experience with interdisciplinary research and science communication aligns perfectly with our strategy, which emphasizes high-quality research, societal impact, and global partnerships", says CMI Director Espen Villanger.

Kleiven is looking forward to contributing to the institute’s continued development:

“It is with great commitment that I take on the role as Chair of the Board at CMI, and I look forward to supporting the institute’s work in turning knowledge into positive change. Through solid academic work, strong partnerships, and a clear social commitment, CMI contributes to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Research is a driving force for justice and equality, now more than ever. I look forward to leading the Board’s work in further strengthening the institute’s important social mission”, says Kikki Flesche Kleiven.

She brings valuable experience from the research institute sector through her work with NORCE and has led several research projects funded by external sources such as the Research Council of Norway, the Olav Thon Foundation, and the Ministry of Education and Research. She also has extensive board experience, including roles at SFI Climate Futures, the Norwegian Climate Services Centre, the Folgefonna Centre Foundation, and the Norwegian Climate Foundation, among others.

Flesche Kleiven succeeds Professor Synnøve Bendixsen, Head of the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Bergen, who has been elected Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Bergen starting in August.