From Olympic Ambitions to HR Leadership at Finago

How do you go from a Norwegian scale-up to a Nordic organisation — without losing the sense of team?

Meet Pia Dahl, HR Lead at Finago Norway. She has experienced rebranding, integration and rapid expansion at close range — and today, she continues to steer that change with calm confidence and pace.

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Proud of the people who held the line

What stands out most for Pia from the past year is how people responded to major change. The company she joined as a student, 24SevenOffice, transitioned into Finago; combining new systems, new colleagues across borders and a much larger operational setup. Yet something essential remained unchanged.‍

“What impressed me was how people stayed curious, willing to learn, and committed to the work even as everything shifted.”
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The challenger mindset that defined 24SevenOffice didn’t vanish in the transition. If anything, moving into a larger Nordic organisation simply gave it a bigger arena.

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From cross-country skiing to HR leadership

Pia didn’t set out to build a career in HR. She set out to compete.

She trained and competed in cross-country skiing, driven by the kind of dream many young athletes carry - to see how far talent, discipline and hard work could take her. That period shaped her resilience and drive long before HR entered the picture.

When that chapter was coming to an end, the drive didn’t disappear; it simply needed a new direction.

“I needed something else to strive for. I’ve always been drawn to people, seeing their strengths and understanding how they can grow.”
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She picked up the phone and spoke with HR leaders in companies she admired, asking for advice and direction. That curiosity eventually led her to study organizational psychology, HR and leadership - and later to a part-time HR role at 24SevenOffice, where she quickly took on responsibility.

Ambition, for Pia, has always been direct:

“My former leader once asked me about my long-term goal. I didn’t hesitate and said: ‘Your job.’”

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Leading through change

The shift from a scale-up environment to a larger Nordic organisation has taught Pia something essential: HR rarely works with fixed answers. Things shift quickly, and HR moves with it.

Her work spans recruitment, leadership development, cultural alignment and preparing Finago for significant growth in the Norwegian market — all while maintaining the challenge-driven mindset that has characterised the Norwegian organisation for years.

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How can organisations maintain a strong culture during change?

Pia recognizes that change touches everyone — and that uncertainty is a natural part of any transformation. What matters, in her view, is how quickly you create movement rather than getting stuck in the unknown.

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“When I experience uncertainty, I don’t stay passive — I go straight into: How do we solve this? Sometimes the simplest next step is just getting it done.”

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For Pia, strengthening culture is a deliberate process; bringing clarity into moments of uncertainty, helping people understand the why behind decisions, and keeping teams aligned as the organization evolves.

Her background as a competitive athlete taught her that progress often comes from small, consistent improvements, even when the environment shifts. The same principle guides her cultural work today: focus on what you can influence, keep moving, and build alignment step by step.

“Across Finago, we’re building a more unified culture across teams and countries. We’re still early in the journey, and much of the HR focus ahead is about strengthening collaboration, openness and shared learning as we grow.”

Finding your voice in HR: Advice for early-career professionals

If Pia were to offer one piece of advice to her younger self, or to anyone early in their HR career, it would be this:

“Take up more space. Pick up the phone. Ask questions. Don’t stay on the sidelines. Join communities. And when you’re in the room — don’t just observe. Contribute.

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Why Purple Minds matters

Purple Minds has become a meaningful pause in a demanding calendar, a space to step out of the intensity of day-to-day HR and lift her perspective.

“In HR, it’s easy to get stuck in the urgent, to see only the fires in front of you. In Purple Minds, I get to step back and lift my perspective.”
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The sessions give her energy and direction:

“I often leave wanting to write everything down — what others have done, how it might apply to us, what I want to try next. It helps me challenge my own routines, not just repeat what we’ve always done.”
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And, importantly, it feels safe.

“I always leave with a good feeling – it’s honest, practical and genuinely supportive.”

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