Norwegian travel management company Berg-Hansen is set to expand its footprint in the Nordic region with plans to establish operations in Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
The Oslo-based TMC, which was ranked by BTN Europe as the third largest TMC in the Nordics in 2025, will first look to establish a presence in Sweden. In January, the company appointed Kristoffer Svensson as its country managing director, based in Stockholm, where it plans to open an office with up to 20 local employees.
Speaking to BTN Europe at the Nordic Business Travel Summit in Gothenburg this week, Berg-Hansen CEO Per Arne Villadsen said the TMC is adapting its proprietary technology stack for Sweden and is currently testing features with pilot clients ahead of a marketing push.
“We haven't [yet] gone out in the market hunting for clients because we need to see that our technology is working,” he said. “As soon as that is in place, then we're ready to go and we’ll be ready to replicate in Denmark and Finland… hopefully, by the end of the year.”
After establishing its technical infrastructure, Villadsen said the TMC may also pursue regional growth through mergers and acquisitions.
“When you have the systems in place, it's easier to merge or take in a new partner,” he said. “If you make an acquisition and you don't have, let's say, the factory in place, it can be very costly, and transition periods for clients can be lengthy.”
With a 90 per cent online booking rate among its current clients, a tech-first approach to growth is imperative – especially since Berg-Hansen does not engage in reseller agreements. Its online booking platform, payment solutions and customer support systems are all developed with proprietary technology.
“We are able to integrate [third-party systems], but we are not supporting them,” Villadsen said. “I know that's not a very common strategy in the TMC market, but we are convinced that, in the long run, it’s the right thing for us and for the clients... ensuring that we can invest and enhance our systems instead of just being a provider for someone else. … Our technology is tailor made for the Nordic markets.”
So, why now?
Following Amex GBT’s acquisition of CWT, Villadsen said competition in the region has shifted. “We feel it's an open door right now,” he said.
Berg-Hansen, which previously criticised the UK competition regulator’s approval of the GBT-CWT merger, had been a former long-time member of CWT’s Global Partners Network.
Villadsen described the partnership as “very fruitful for both parties”, adding that “it hurt” when the agreement came to an end when Amex GBT entered the fold “about 18 months ago”.
Amex GBT and Berg-Hansen have since established a “transition agreement” to ensure service continuity for Nordic clients, but this is due to end on 31 December 2026. After which, clients will either have to “go out to RFP or enter a new agreement with GBT or with us,” Villadsen said.
“We don't have any collaboration [with Amex GBT] when it comes to sales or client acquisition, but the transition agreement – if we call it that – is to try to make sure we can serve our clients throughout this year [and] to provide them with reasonable time to prepare a new contract or decide what they want to do in the future.”
Villadsen said less than 10 per cent of Berg-Hansen’s annual revenues were generated from its former agreement with CWT. So, he’s not concerned if some clients opt for a global player, and he remains confident that “the majority of legacy clients” in Norway – mostly large Norwegian companies – will stay with Berg-Hansen.
Meanwhile, he suspects small Norwegian subsidiaries of major multinationals will likely “be converted or moved to GBT”.
“Travel managers are talking about more regional solutions,” he added. “I mean, one size doesn't fit all in this industry, which we see as an opportunity.”