Career Biography

Kristine Ryssdal is an accomplished executive leader, lawyer and board member with solid experience spanning the global energy and industrial sectors. She currently serves as executive vice president and general counsel of Yara International ASA, where she is a member of the Group Executive Board. In this role, she holds global responsibility for legal affairs, compliance and intellectual property, leading international teams that support operations across more than 140 countries. She plays a central role in shaping the company’s strategic direction, advising on complex transactions and navigating regulatory and geopolitical challenges affecting global markets and supply chains.

Throughout her career, Ryssdal has demonstrated a strong ability to combine legal expertise with strategic business judgement. Her work reflects a deep understanding of the intersection between legal framework, capital allocation and long-term value creation in capital-intensive industries.

Prior to joining Yara, Ryssdal held senior legal leadership roles at Statoil (now Equinor), where she served as vice president legal for Development & Production International. Earlier, she was chief legal officer and a member of the Corporate Management Board of Renewable Energy Corporation (REC), where she oversaw global legal and compliance functions during a period of international expansion, restructuring and refinancing. She also began her career in public service at the Attorney General’s Office, handling civil litigation on behalf of the Norwegian government and gaining admission to the Supreme Court Bar.

In addition to her executive responsibilities, Ryssdal has extensive board experience. She has served on the Executive Board of the Central Bank of Norway (Norges Bank), with board responsibility for monetary policy, financial stability, and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund. She has also served as board member of Borregaard ASA , a global innovative industrial company within biorefinery business, and is leading the nomination committee of Scatec ASA.

Ryssdal holds a law degree from the University of Oslo and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the London School of Economics, and is admitted to the Norwegian Supreme Court. She is recognised for her ability to combine legal expertise with strategic leadership, and for her capacity to operate effectively in complex international environments.