Dr. Osvald M. Bjelland is a Norwegian entrepreneur, investor, and sustainability strategist renowned for his leadership in advancing climate-positive innovation and systems change. He is the founder and chairman of Origination AS, an Oslo-based company that mobilizes innovation leaders and changemakers worldwide to invest in service of people and the planet with long-term strategic foresight. Origination focuses on catalyzing solutions in energy transition, sustainable finance, and regenerative growth, particularly in frontier markets such as India, Turkey, and Africa.
Previously, Dr. Bjelland founded and led Xynteo, a global advisory firm dedicated to guiding energy transition in frontier markets. Under his leadership, Xynteo delivered over 500 projects across the U.S., China, India, Europe, and Brazil. He also co-created influential partnerships like the Tata Xynteo Exchange and Europe Delivers, uniting major corporations to drive sustainable innovation.
Academically, Dr. Bjelland holds a PhD from the University of Leeds, where his research focused on the role of leadership in deploying IT to transform information-intensive organizations. He also holds an MBA from Henley Business School and a BA from BI Norwegian Business School. He has served as a visiting scholar at Stanford University and a business fellow at Oxford University. 
He is married to Thorhild Widvey, Norway’s former Minister of Petroleum and Energy as well as Minister of Culture. The couple has two sons. Outside of his professional endeavors, Dr. Bjelland enjoys farming, fishing, and spending time in the mountains with family and friends.
In 2025, he is set to release Hope for the Future of Our Planet: A Manifesto for Seven Generations, an anthology aimed at fostering optimism-fueled action as humanity grapples with climate change and social tipping points.