Curriculum Vitae

Erik Palsbo

Management, information technology, programme and project leadership, banking and international consultancy.

AddressSkiven 10, DK-4560 Vig, Denmark
Portrait of Erik Palsbo

Personal details

Date of birth
28 July 1943
Marital status
Married to Kirsten Palsbo since 1974; one daughter, Susanne Palsbo, born in 1969
Languages
Danish and English (fluent); German and Scandinavian languages (conversational); French and Spanish for travel

Key qualifications

  • Extensive experience in general management and IT management
  • Extensive experience in executive consultancy
  • Extensive experience in programme and project management
  • Broad and in-depth knowledge of information technology
  • Strong knowledge of the banking and airline industries and their technologies
  • Visionary and strategic approach, with a strong motivation for change

Areas of experience

General management and organisation

  • General management
  • Development and implementation of IT strategies
  • Organisational development
  • Board membership
  • Staff management and training
  • Business analysis

Staff management

  • Managed a company with 35 employees
  • Recruitment, deployment, conflict resolution and performance appraisal
  • Training and personal development plans
  • Motivation, coaching and mentoring
  • Employment contracts and salary negotiations

Programme and project management

  • Large programmes involving multiple projects
  • IT infrastructure and ERP projects
  • Organisational development projects
  • Web development projects
  • Euro implementation projects
  • Hardware development projects

Sales, procurement and negotiation

  • Procurement, including RFP preparation, evaluation, selection and contracts
  • Interim sales management
  • Bid management
  • Contract negotiation and evaluation

Communication

  • Speaker at international conferences
  • Management and board reporting
  • Staff communication

International experience

Projects and consultancy assignments in the USA, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Consultancy

  • IT strategy development
  • IT management
  • Procurement
  • Organisational development

Information technology

  • IT management
  • Hardware and software design and development
  • Systems analysis and design
  • Programming and testing

Financial services

  • Branch operations
  • International banking
  • Arbitrage and dealing
  • Accounting

Education

PeriodEducation
From 2005Political science studies at the University of Copenhagen
1961Danish Realeksamen
1961–1969Commercial and banking education
From 1966Numerous management and technical courses

Career overview

PeriodCompanyPosition
From 2005Retired
1997–2005Scandinavian IT Group / CSCProject Director
1996–1997Own companyManagement Consultant
1995–1996Computer Resources International (CRI)Vice President / Management Consultant
1989–1994Dow Jones Telerate DenmarkManaging Director / Nordic IT Operations Manager
1986–1989SiemensSystems Manager
1979–1986Privatbanken A/S, now NordeaVice President
1978–1979NCR DenmarkSystems Manager
1962–1978Privatbanken A/S, now NordeaBanking and IT roles

Career details

Scandinavian IT Group / CSC, 1997–2005

Project Director

Programme management, executive consultancy and organisational development. Scandinavian IT Group was acquired by CSC in 2004.

Own company, from 1996

Executive Consultant

Executive consultancy and IT strategy development for banks in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey and Germany.

Computer Resources International A/S (CRI), 1995–1996

Vice President, Financial Systems Division

Executive consultancy and IT strategy development for banks in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany. CRI was acquired by WM-data A/S in 1996.

Dow Jones Telerate Denmark A/S, 1989–1994

Managing Director and Nordic Operations Manager

Managing Director of Dow Jones Telerate Denmark A/S; member of its board of directors; member of the Nordic management team; and Operations Manager for Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Baltic countries.

Siemens A/S, Denmark, 1986–1989

Systems Manager

Responsible for systems support and technical support for PCs and local area networks.

Privatbanken A/S, 1979–1986

Vice President

Responsible for the Special Development Department, including strategic IT planning and special projects.

NCR Denmark A/S, 1978–1979

Systems Manager

Worked primarily with NCR's head office in Ohio, USA, on the design of a new bank terminal system.

Privatbanken A/S, 1962–1978

Vice President, Project Manager, Systems Programmer, Programmer and Banking Trainee

Project manager for a branch front-office terminal system. Banking trainee from 1962 to 1965, working in branches and at the head office.

Selected professional activities

PeriodClient or organisationActivity
1994SITA DenmarkNetwork design project, account management and IT strategy.
1988–1989Shell International, the Netherlands, England and NorwayDevelopment contract for a test system for an international point-of-sale system and network. The work included X.25, X.21, HDLC/LAPB, asynchronous communication and encryption.
1987Danish Ministry of EducationMember of a committee planning Danish IT education, with responsibility for hardware and systems software for mini- and microcomputers. Training of teachers.
1986–1987Shell DenmarkDevelopment contract for a test system for a Danish point-of-sale system.
1983–1986Pengeinstitutternes Købe- og KreditkortselskabDevelopment of a system for generating, distributing and administering encryption keys. Design and development of a test system for the Dankort point-of-sale system, covering remote and central equipment.
1982–1985Furrer & Gloor GmbH, ZurichDevelopment of hardware and software for a microprocessor system.
1982Danish engineering organisations / DIEUConference presentations.
1982Nixdorf Computer, AustraliaConference presentations in Sydney and Melbourne on banking automation.
1982Birk & KrogboeConsultancy on a banking system in Kuwait.
1981SICOB Conference, ParisConference presentation.
1980–1983Inter-Alpha Banking GroupConsultancy assignments for banks in Hong Kong and Singapore.
1966–1968Military service, Sjællandske TelegrafregimentSergeant.

Other activities

PeriodActivity
From 2000Member of the Goodwill Ambassador Group at Symbion Science Park, Copenhagen.
From 1988Co-founder of TEKNOFO, an association of IT pioneers. Members had exercised management influence on significant IT projects and had worked with information technology for at least ten years. Board member until 1991.
1982–1985Chairman of the board of Computerman A/S, a consultancy and supplier of microcomputer equipment.
1974–1976Employee-elected member of the board of directors of Privatbanken A/S.
1970–1976Board member of Privatbanken's employee association and the Danish Bankers' Association (DBL).

Other information

I established the company Erik Palsbo Datateknik as the commercial basis for several of the private professional activities listed above.

I have had a strong personal interest in technology since an early age and have been a licensed radio amateur, holding the highest Danish licence class, since 1960.

I have taught information technology in various groups and associations and have given numerous presentations on IT and IT management.

I also developed systems for data communication via short-wave radio. The system remains in use among radio amateurs around the world.

Other interests include music. I also hold a Private Pilot Licence.