Kjell Madland

Founder, CEO and tournament director of Norway Chess
Co-Founder and board member of Norway Summit

Kjell is the CEO, Founder, and Tournament Director of Norway Chess, as well as Co-Founder and board member of Norway Summit. As the creative force behind Norway Chess, he has been instrumental in shaping the tournament into one of the most prestigious and innovative events on the global chess calendar. He is the originator of several groundbreaking concepts that have set Norway Chess apart, including the tournament’s unique time control system, the introduction of Armageddon tie-breaks after drawn classical games, and the now-famous confessional booth—elements that have redefined the spectator experience and drawn international attention.

Kjell also initiated the Norway Summit conference, where his vision of merging business, innovation, and global dialogue has resulted in a dynamic platform attracting thought leaders from around the world. His ability to think beyond convention and transform bold ideas into successful ventures continues to drive the growth of both Norway Chess and Norway Summit.

With a background as an entrepreneur and business leader, Kjell started his first construction company at the age of 22 and went on to hold several executive roles, including Managing Director of a top-tier Norwegian football club. His career is marked by a consistent track record of increasing revenue and building sustainable business models. At his core, he is a creative visionary with strong commercial instincts and a hands-on leadership style.

Benedicte Westre Skog

Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Norway Chess, 
Managing Director and co-founder of Norway Summit

Benedicte is Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Norway Chess, where she has played a key role since 2015. She has been instrumental in the strategic development and professionalization of the tournament, helping to establish Norway Chess as one of the world’s leading chess events. In her role, she is responsible for everything from concept development, project management, and sponsor relations to international partnerships, media coordination, and high-level logistics. Her ability to combine operational leadership with long-term brand building has been central to the event’s growth and international reputation.

She is also the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Norway Summit conference, where she has been a driving force since its inception. She is responsible for content and program development, collaboration with international speakers and partners, marketing, and overall execution. The conference has become a key arena for innovation, technology, and business dialogue.

Benedicte holds a Master’s degree in International Development from the Netherlands and an Honours Bachelor’s degree from Canada. She has studied and worked internationally in countries such as India and Mexico, and brings extensive experience in cross-cultural collaboration and social entrepreneurship.

She also leads the nonprofit organization Argan Care, which works to protect the endangered argan forest in Morocco through reforestation and sustainable initiatives that generate income and opportunities for the local population, with a strong focus on women and education.

Dea Maioli Egeli

Marketing Manager, Norway Chess og Norway Summit

Dea works as the Marketing Manager for Norway Chess and Norway Summit, and she leads the company’s marketing and communication work.

Dea has a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Marketing from the University of East London and Digital Marketing through Noroff.

She has previous experience from, among other places, a media agency, Stavanger Concert Hall, and the EV charging company amina charging. Outside of work, she is active as a board member in the Marketing Association in Stavanger (Markedsføringsforeningen i Stavanger).

Niki Riga

Social Media Content Creator

Niki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harokopio University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of West Attica. She has over eight years of experience in content creation and six in social media.

Before joining Norway Chess, Niki was Head of Social Media at FIDE, where she led the platform’s growth by over 740,000 followers in less than one and a half years. She has also worked as a graphic designer and content creator with chess24 on the Champions Chess Tour and as a photographer with World Chess and the Gibraltar Chess Festival.

At Norway Chess, Niki is the Social Media Content Creator.

Mehmet Ismail

Game Theory Expert

Mehmet is currently a lecturer in economics at King’s College London’s Department of Political Economy, and has a diverse academic background. He holds a PhD in Economics from Maastricht University and during this period, he had the opportunity to work with esteemed game theorist and political scientist, Steven Brams, at New York University. Mehmet also holds a masters in applied mathematics from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and spent a semester at Bielefeld University as part of the Erasmus Mundus QEM programme.

Beyond academia, Mehmet is an ardent chess enthusiast and a former professional backgammon player. His passion for games goes much further than just playing; he is intrigued by the multifaceted world of games, exploring everything from theoretical foundations and practical applications to game design, fairness and gameplay itself.