Oslo, Norway (May 27, 2020) — Kahoot! announced today that Lars Erik Grønntun has been appointed in the new combined role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Kahoot!
Grønntun will manage the company’s operational agenda as well as develop Kahoot!’s global communications strategy, starting his role on June 1, 2020.
He is joining Kahoot! from his current position as Global President for Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a leading global communications consultancy, part of the WPP Group (LSE/NYSE: WPP plc). Grønntun has had several leadership roles at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, including CEO of Europe and EMEA, before his current position with responsibility for the entire international portfolio.
“We are delighted that Lars Erik has accepted the position as COO and CMO of Kahoot!,” said Eilert Hanoa, CEO of Kahoot! “He will bring a unique combination of extensive operational leadership experience from international organizations as well as expertise in global marketing and strategy. Lars Erik will have a leading role in supporting the company in its next growth phase and in preparing for a primary listing in the coming 12 months.”
“I am very excited to join the fast-paced Kahoot! team in building the leading learning platform in the world,” Grønntun said. “I have been extremely impressed by the company’s results and believe there is much more to come for Norway’s first tech unicorn. A key goal for me in this next development cycle is to contribute to growth and expansion through strengthening operations as well as Kahoot!’s strategic positioning.”
Lars Erik Grønntun has over 25 years of experience from leading professional services businesses, initially founding the leading Norwegian communications agency Gambit, later acquired by WPP plc, followed by several leadership roles in global consultancy Hill+Knowlton Strategies. He is an internationally respected client counsellor and has advised top executives in companies across a variety of sectors. Grønntun has received a series of awards and accolades for personal and company achievements during his leadership tenure. Before entering the marketing industry Grønntun was engaged in politics at municipal and national level.
About Kahoot!
Kahoot! is on a mission to make learning awesome! We want to empower every child, student and employee to unlock their full learning potential. Our game-based learning platform makes it easy for any individual or corporation to create, share and play learning games that drive compelling engagement. In addition, our family of apps takes math learning to a new level and empowers children to learn to read through play. Launched in 2013, Kahoot!’s vision is to build the leading learning platform in the world. Over the past 12 months, more than 218 million games have been played on the Kahoot! platform with 1.3 billion participating players in 200 countries. The company is headquartered in Norway with offices in the US, the UK, France and Finland. Let’s play!