There is definitely a time before and after IMD for Lars-Fredrik Forberg. After completing his MBA in 2010, he became more efficient, better understood the value of a work-life balance, and believes he even became a better person from the learning experience. He also managed to hoist the IMD flag on top of Mont Blanc as a gesture of appreciation.
“2010 was the best year of my life in many ways. You have these periods you reflect on as mind-boggling or life-changing. For me, it was a perfect match because I have this thirst for learning,” says Lars-Fredrik Forberg.
Before Forberg went to IMD, he was working for the Norwegian company Luxo Norge, a lamp manufacturer dating back to 1934. As an R&D manager, he and his team developed new or improved existing lighting products. He is now the CTO of Pilarr, an internal startup within Mestergruppen, the largest construction and retail components company in the Nordics.
He is currently leading an exciting initiative in the construction industry. The project, which began in 2021, involves applying ontologies – semantic and formal descriptions of the world, in this case, the construction industry – to address productivity issues in building projects and creating a formal data model in that field. On He collaborates with researchers from Aalto University (Finland), Stanford University (USA), and Delft University of Technology (Netherlands).
He emphasizes that international collaboration is key. “There’s no chance we can develop new ontologies or standards on our own. We need to work together, publish them, and market them. We can’t do this in a vacuum.”
The main problem in the construction industry, he explains, is its fragmented and analog nature. “Multiple actors are trying to claim their share of the pipeline, which drives up costs and causes delays in design, construction, and planning. It becomes a massive chaos of expenses and inefficiencies.”
His work with ontology aims to stitch everything together in an 11-step value chain.
“We’re creating an information highway – digitally and process-wise – to bind it all together. We can do this at Mestergruppen because we are fully vertically integrated and control all these 11 steps.”
A great year
Reflecting on 2010 and why it was such an impactful and important year for Forberg, he says that he was a hardworking and committed student who was also physically active. He attended all the lectures, interacted with his colleagues, read all the papers, did his homework, and went skiing every winter weekend without fail.
“On top of that, my daughter was born on my graduation day! It was a perfect storm of positivity – a combination of everything I love. Outdoor sports, friendships, and learning – it was just such a good match.”
Before IMD, he describes himself as an ego-driven, ambitious young man who had never visited a psychologist. The combination of therapy, becoming a father, and learning new ways of working gave him a new perspective.
“Now I’m more relaxed, family-driven, and focused on work-life balance. I’m also a better friend. I still have my vices, but it’s different. You mature during IMD, and it takes a couple of years to realize that you are a better person than before.”
He also gained tools to become more efficient at work, reducing his work hours from around 13 hours per day to today’s six-hour workday.
“Everything you do after IMD is twice as efficient. Every email you write, every presentation you make goes straight to the target. You know exactly what you need to do, and you do it. That’s the key ability you learn at IMD.”
“Of course, it’s a privilege to be a director, which allows me to choose my own team and work methods. But IMD gave me the ability to work less and still be just as efficient, without the long hours I used to put in before IMD.”
To the top
As a Norwegian, Forberg tries to make time every day during winter for skiing. “I can ski every day from my doorstep – that’s the ambition. But with kids and work, sometimes you can’t achieve that. Still, my goal is to get outside every day for daylight. It’s good for your health.”
He also shares a story about his year in Lausanne when he and his classmate Alexander Yurganov climbed Mont Blanc. However, they didn’t spend the recommended three to five days to acclimatize to the higher altitude, as recommended, and that caught up with them towards the end of their climb.
“We just went straight to the top. We started in the middle of the night and reached the last hut at 3,800 meters by 6am”
They then had 1,000 meters left to reach the summit, which should have taken around 1.5–2 hours. Instead, it took them eight.
“For every step, I thought, ‘We’re not going to make it.’ We would walk 20 steps and then had to breathe for half a minute because we were out of oxygen due to no acclimatization.”
“I didn’t believe we’d succeed until we were 50 meters from the summit. Then I knew we would make it. We reached the top at 2pm – way too late. But we made it.”
In hindsight, Forberg says he’s very happy they never gave up. “When your mind tells you that you won’t make it, you find a way to carry on. That’s a great virtue to have.”
Spirit of generosity
In his spare time, he is active in the Norwegian Green Party and a member of the program committee for food and agriculture.
“I’m a farmer’s son, so I care deeply about what kind of food we eat and how we ensure a stable food supply. We’re not self-sufficient as a country, so we need imports. But my biggest concern is whether our food is sustainable and healthy.”
His top priority is ensuring food is properly labeled. “One of my key focus points for the upcoming election is to ensure proper food labeling,” he said. “The EU tried to introduce a neutral color-coded scoring system, from green to red. But it’s not that simple. The algorithm behind it is complex, and it has to be voted upon.”
He remains actively involved in the IMD Alumni Club, which he has been engaged with since completing his MBA. He served as president for 10 years and now holds the role of treasurer. The Norwegian club is aiming for a restart with new exciting business forums coming up, and a new board that shares his mindset.
“You have to approach volunteer work with a mindset of giving. I commit fully for the long term – it’s intrinsic motivation.”
