Spotlight: Ståle Håheim

Passions for building teams and venturing abroad

As General Manager at the Omega 365 office in Copenhagen, Ståle Håheim combines two of his passions: living abroad and building teams.

After graduating, Ståle Håheim began working at Omega 365’s Stavanger office in 1998, at a time when Omega had only 60 employees across the entire company. Before this, Ståle had trained as a teacher and later studied information science. Department manager in Omega 365 Solutions and  lifelong friend from Etne, Jarle Gjerde, tipped him off about Omega 365 being in need of more personnel. After an interview with Department manager in Omega 365 Consulting, Arne Gunnar Habbestad, he secured the job. Now, after 25 years in the company, he reflects on his journey.

“I haven't contributed to shaping the Pims software, but I have been involved in selling and implementing Pims for clients. So my programming abilities have decreased over the years,” Ståle states in a humble manner.

Early on, he worked on the delivery and integration of Pims at Statoil, which was Omega 365’s largest client at the time. In the subsequent years, he focused on Pims integration and support. 

“This was the early stage of my time at Omega, and we were beginning to build our team in the software department,” Ståle recalls.

After three years of working with Statoil, Ståle's primary responsibility shifted to Pims client follow-ups. He travelled worldwide, visiting places such as the Slovak Republic, the US, Kuala Lumpur, Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Ståle has always cherished the opportunity to leave the office, expand his network, and engage with new clients.

“I'm not entirely sure where my urge to travel comes from. I love meeting new people and learning about their cultures. Doing all this with Omega has been both exciting and deeply rewarding,” he shares. 

From Houston to Copenhagen

Ståle has a talent for building teams from the ground up. In the early 2000s, he journeyed to the US and later relocated to Houston in 2008, where he lived with his family for six years. “It was fantastic,” Håheim remarks about their time there. 

“It was a great experience to contribute to the expansion of the Houston office.”

Ståle’s family also expanded, from three to five. The whole family enjoyed their time in Texas. 

“We said, the worst thing that could happen, was that we had to move back. When you take this kind of step, you have nothing to lose. It's totally fair if it doesn't work out,” Ståle shares. 

“Our time in Houston was great, and my role there was similar to what I do now. But here we really started from scratch,” Ståle says. 

'Here' refers to Copenhagen. In 2014, Ståle and his family moved back to Norway. Ståle took on a new role building the Omega 365 Consulting office in Stavanger as Department Manager. Then, in 2018, Ståle changed locations again and began working at in Omega 365 Solutions. He became the first employee of the Copenhagen office. In fact, the move to Denmark was Ståle’s own idea.

 To venture into a new market, one of Ståle’s primary concerns is to continue building the team in Copenhagen.

With his extensive experience in the business, Ståle recognized the potential for Omega 365 in new industries within the European market. 

“I approached Sigmund Lunde, Chairman of Omega 365, and Svein Tore Haraldseid, General Manager of Omega 365 Solutions, and simply proposed this to them,” Ståle recalls, grateful for their positive response.

For Ståle, it was important to open an office in the city centre of Copenhagen to raise awareness of Omega 365 in a place where it might not be widely known. 

“Omega 365 is growing. We aim to be closer to our Danish customers and to those further south on the European continent to see what we can do for clients within ocean wind, battery production, pharma, and green industries,” Ståle notes.

New industries need new processes as they mature, which is an exciting challenge for Ståle and his team. 

Global reach with a local touch

To venture into a new market, one of Ståle’s primary concerns is to continue building the team in Copenhagen. With a count of 22 people in 2023, Ståle envisions a diverse team that includes both introverted and extroverted individuals, as well as a mix of genders and backgrounds. 

“Always surrounding yourself with skilful people is crucial. It provides the room needed for further growth,” Ståle reflects. 

In addition to the team in Copenhagen, two employees work from Spain, one from Sweden, and eight from Norway.

“I'm always on the lookout for technically skilled individuals; however, personality is more significant to me than grades,” Ståle says. 

His main concern is whether they can do the job and fit well within the team. For Ståle, leading means placing trust in the team, not micromanaging every detail. 

“From my perspective, it's all about trust. Either get the job done and deliver or let me know. I don't mind if you're in the office at 07:00 or at 10:15 in the morning. The most crucial part is that you are present,” Ståle emphasizes.

He appreciates the support from Omega 365's headquarters in Ølensvåg, which handles essential organizational processes like payroll and insurance, ensuring a seamless and efficient start for the Copenhagen branch.

“We simply arrived, secured an office space near Rådhusplassen square, and began working with existing clients, pitching to new ones, and hiring people,” Ståle recounts. 

“This isn't like a startup where you have to establish all these new processes. We could concentrate on what we know best and what we're here to accomplish,” he elaborates. 

True to the nature of many Western Norwegians, Ståle doesn't readily boast about his own achievements during his 25-year tenure at Omega. However, he does acknowledge his adaptability and easy-going nature. 

“Being rigid doesn't work in this industry,” Ståle remarks.

Since the beginning, Ståle has enjoyed working in a company with rural origins, where the organization has both a sense of humour and "bondevett" – a down-to-earth common sense. 

“I've been here so long that it feels like we're a family. You always know where to turn to get things done,” he says. 

Svein Tore Haraldseid has collaborated closely with Ståle over the years. 

“He's invaluable, possesses excellent communication skills, and is a true team builder,” Svein Tore describes.

“Ståle's experience is vast. That's likely why he's always capable of seeing the bigger picture in Omega, discerning the synergies between consultants and systems. Whether as a team member or a customer, Ståle is someone you genuinely enjoy being around,” he adds.

“I mean, he's a globetrotter and has traveled all over the world, working with both solutions and consulting. It's a great combination,” Svein Tore explains. 

He's truly impressed with what Ståle has achieved in Denmark: hiring a new team and working closely with customers in a new market. 

“He's a people-person, great with the team and customers, and brilliant at building his network,” Svein Tore says. 

He believes the broad customer base in Denmark is largely due to Ståle’s vision and efforts.

“I think trustworthy is a good description,” Svein Tore continues. He values Ståle’s communication skills and his way of speaking and engaging with people, as well as trusting them.  

“That extends to the customer too. People trust him – when he says he'll solve something, he does,” Svein Tore adds.

About Spotlight

Spotlight highlights and celebrates Omega 365's team members and their efforts. We believe there are contributions, personalities, and developments throughout Omega 365 that deserve recognition and acknowledgment. You may have a colleague who has made a breakthrough, improved workplace moral, or secured a significant contract – we want to know about them and we want to celebrate them! Nominate a Spotlight candidate by sending your tips to lauren@omega365.com.