Jan Sverre (Sivert) Sivertsen
WORKING CHAIRMAN of the board
Meet Sivert, our seasoned chairman with a deep passion for polar exploration. With extensive experience in both the Arctic and Antarctic—yes, he’s even skied to the South Pole—Sivert leads our Svalbard venture under Geographic Hotels & Adventures, the majority owner of Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen and Flakk Gruppen’s tourism group.
Sivert lived in Longyearbyen with his family from 1997 to 2008, where he played a key role in shaping the early days of professional tourism in Svalbard. As a former CEO of Spitsbergen Travel (now Hurtigruten Svalbard). Starting in August 2024, Sivert returned to Longyearbyen to help drive the continued growth and development of the company.
With a background from Norges Idrettshøgskole (Norway’s Sports Academy) and an MBA from Emlyon Business School in France, Sivert’s expertise is evident both on the highest mountain peaks, whether he’s climbing them on skis or with hiking boots, and in the strategic planning of our activities in Svalbard’s fragile Arctic environment.
“Norwegian tourism must recognize and emphasize the immense value of our most unique asset—nature,” Sivert explains. “At Basecamp Explorer, we offer accommodations deep in the Arctic wilderness, where logistical challenges are significant, and safety is paramount. Yet, we must tread lightly on this delicate land.”
Sivert is committed to ensuring that guests understand the complexity and significance of their experiences in Svalbard. “Yes, it’s an expensive holiday, but it has to be. Such trips can never become mass tourism. When guests grasp the true value of what they’re experiencing with us, they gain a profound respect for how global climate challenges impact Svalbard. This understanding can inspire action on a global scale.”