This distinction highlights her ability to combine economic performance, technological innovation and human values. From the moment she took up her new post in 2020, Merete Hverven has injected a new dynamic into Visma. The Norwegian giant now generates annual recurring sales of 2.8 billion euros in the first half of 2025, up 12% on the previous year. But financial success is not the only factor behind this recognition: the EBM jury also praised Merete Hverven for her managerial approach "which combines innovation, operational excellence and human values", including diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Today, Visma has 17,500 employees in over twenty countries, over 2 million customers, and is one of Europe's top employers according to the Financial Times.
This award is proof that, behind the growth, Merete Hverven has succeeded in turning Visma into a company capable of providing critical technological solutions in markets in need: payroll automation, accounting management, compliance, cloud, SaaS - all levers that enable organizations to gain in efficiency, security and agility, while freeing up time to focus on the essentials. In particular, the company has stepped up its acquisitions in markets that are largely under-supplied with cloud solutions, such as Latin America and Central Europe. On the social front, Merete Hverven has also focused on inclusiveness. Visma has published a formal diversity and inclusion strategy which reminds us that these aspects are not just about gender or origin, but also about age, life experiences, fields of study, physical and mental abilities. The aim is to ensure that everyone feels valued and can contribute fully to the growth of Visma, the "6th child of Merete Hverven.
