First House founder, Bjørn Richard Johansen, who left the industry seven years ago to pursue new ventures within real estate, is returning to the world of consulting. He takes on the role as Commercial Director of the Geelmuyden Kiese Group (GK Group), and advisor to the board of Paritee, the holding company which acquired the GK Group back in 2021. 

As one of Scandinavia’s most seasoned and accomplished communications veterans, Johansen will be tasked with ensuring commercial growth across the entire Scandinavian market, as well as supporting key accounts.  

The Geelmuyden Kiese Group (GK Group) currently has 140 employees, yet the company is set on a growth path in the years to come.

– The market for strategic consultancy is developing and GK is serious about its ambitions in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, says Karne Lykkebo,Managing Partner of the GK Group. It’s about rallying the best people in our industry, and I am looking forward to the opportunity of working together with Johansen in further developing the GK Group in the Nordic region.

Holding company Paritee, also has big ambitions. 

– Through Paritee, we are well underway in developing a new era for GK, as well as facilitating a new kind of agency model with Scandinavian and European ambitions, declares Jonas Palmqvist, Paritee CEO. We have now created a platform for targeted investments and Johansson, with his extensive network, industry experience and international expertise, will make certain we succeed in creating further growth.

Bjørn Richard Johansen has, among other things, been the Deputy Managing Director of Burson-Marsteller in Norway, Director of Communications at Hakon Gruppen (formerly ICA and now Coop), International Director at Glitnir with responsibility for communications in 14 countries, one of the founders of strategic consultancy First House, as well as adviser to Iceland’s Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde during the financial crisis in 2008. He comes to GK and Paritee from the role of Communications and Marketing Director in Conceptor Bolig AS and Associate Partner in First House.

– The best time of my life has been during periods where I have worked with clients, sales, consultancy, and management across the Nordics and internationally. When I again saw the opportunity to contribute to creating growth internationally in Paritee and GK, by re-entering an industry I am well-versed in, this was an opportunity I had to seize, says Bjørn Richard Johansen.

– Johansen is one of Norway’s most experienced advisers with extensive expertise in finance, consumer goods and property. He has been central to the Norwegian communications industry for several decades and will become an immensely valuable resource for our clients and employees. I look forward to working with Johansen again, says Severin Roald, who is CEO and managing partner of GK in Norway.

Roald recently brought Gunnar Larsen from Spekter to GK Norway as Head of Public Affairs. All three of them have previously worked together as advisors at Burson-Marsteller.