From international communication to the Norwegian data center industryWith a background in marketing and communications from France and BI Norwegian Business School, Thaning has built a career around creating visibility – through communication, PR, and strategic marketing.After ten years at the global IT company SAP, where she worked with PR and communications across the Nordics and Baltics, she went from positioning international companies in the Nordic market to doing the opposite: taking Norwegian companies abroad.- After working many years in an international company entering the Nordic and Baltic markets, it was really fun to turn it around. I wanted to help make something Norwegian into something big internationally, she says.Now she has stepped into the data center industry, a rapidly developing field where Norway is positioning itself as a safe haven for European data.Technology with social responsibilityThaning has friends in similar roles working with everything from breast prosthetics and dairy products to baked goods and sausages. “All of that is fine and important,” she says. But it’s technology’s role in society that truly fascinates her.- What fascinates me about technology is when it becomes a critical part of functions that truly matter. Not just efficiency for efficiency’s sake, but technology that enables important work to be done better.Most recently, she came from Bliksund, which develops digital solutions for sectors such as healthcare, emergency services, police, and defense.- Seeing how technology can support their work – that’s what drives me, she says.That experience translates directly to Skygard. As the defense and healthcare sector become increasingly digitalized, their data needs to be stored somewhere. And that place must be secure, accessible, and under Norwegian control.Digital sovereignty in uncertain timesIn an era of rising geopolitical tension, data centers have gone from being mere technical infrastructure to becoming matters of national security. Cyberattacks, reliance on foreign actors, and the need for data control mean that where data is physically stored and who owns the infrastructure, have become critical questions.- Data centers have become critical infrastructure on par with electricity and water. As the healthcare system, public services, and Norwegian industry go digital, we must ask questions about sovereignty and control. Who has access to the data? Where is it physically located? Which laws apply? These aren’t just technical questions. They’re democratic ones, says Thaning.That was precisely what drew her to Skygard. The company has a strong societal focus, not only on independence and sovereignty, but also on how its data centers are built.- It’s about holistic thinking: reusing energy, good architecture, and data centers that contribute positively to the local communities they’re part of, she explains.Transparency builds trustAs Skygard’s Marketing Director, Thaning is now working to position the company both nationally and internationally. For her, good communication is about more than products and services – it’s about people.- In an industry built on security and trust, we can’t hide behind technical jargon. People buy from people. When potential customers are entrusting us with their most critical infrastructure, they need to know who we are, what we stand for, and why we do this. Transparency about our values, our expertise, and our social responsibility isn’t just good communication. It’s a prerequisite for trust.In practice, that means everything from being clear about company ownership and data center locations, to communicating openly about security routines and sustainability goals.She believes in transparency as a strategy. By showing who stands behind Skygard, what drives them, and why they’re there, trust is built.- That openness builds trust. Who is behind the Skygard front, and why are they here? It’s reassuring, she says.With long experience in the tech industry, Thaning knows what it takes to build visibility and positioning. But for her, Skygard is about something larger than marketing.- We manage critical infrastructure that society depends on. That comes with responsibility, for security, sustainability, and the role we play in Norway’s technological landscape. At a time when digital sovereignty has become a geopolitical issue, it’s more important than ever that Norwegian organizations have a safe, Norwegian alternative.Now, she’s set to help make Skygard the preferred choice for those who understand that where data resides – and who controls it – truly matters.For Thaning, the road ahead is clear: Skygard should not only be a data center company, but a voice in the debate about Norway’s digital future.
