Espen Ekberg

Professor Espen Ekberg works at BI Norwegian Business School's Department of Law and Governance, with research expertise in financial history, maritime history, and retail history. He holds a Ph.D. in Economic History and a Master's in Sociology from the University of Oslo.

• Education: Ph.D. (University of Oslo, 2008), Master Cand. Pol. (University of Oslo, 2002)
• Work Experience: Professor at BI (2018-Present), Part-time Professor at Norwegian University of Life Sciences (2020-Present), Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2009-2012)

His research focuses on organizational behavior in consumer cooperatives, maritime economic development, and historical business systems. Recent publications analyze strategic renewal in co-ops, Scandinavian shipping networks, and financial sector transformations.

Key trends in his work include:

• Cooperative organizational challenges
• Historical analysis of globalization
• Shipping industry evolution
• Insurance sector development
• Comparative business history
• Historical methodology applications

Ekberg has served as Editor-in-Chief of Scandinavian Economic History Review (2019-2022) and President of the Scandinavian Society for Economic and Social History (2022-2024). He teaches courses on financial crises, business law, and global economics.

His work addresses corporate efficiency, democratic legitimacy, and consumer-political integrity in cooperative organizations, while exploring the intersection of business history with contemporary economic issues.