Career
He was the general secretary of the Centre Party from 1976 to 1984. He worked as a political advisor in the Ministry of Agriculture in 1973, during the cabinet Korvald, and in the Ministry of Transport from 1984 to 1985, during the second cabinet Willoch. From 1985 to 1986 he was the Ministry of Agriculture.
Outside politics he graduated from the Norwegian College of Agriculture in 1969, and worked until 1976 as a research fellow and researcher
From 1986 to 1992 he was director of the Norges landbruksvitenskapelige forskningsrådaughter When it was merged to become the Research Council of Norway, Sundsbø served as Chief Executive Officer there from 1992 to 1994.
He edged out applicants such as Knut Grøholt, Rolf Skår, Hugo Parr and seven others He was managing director of Elkem from 1995 to 2005, and of the Federation of Norwegian Industries from 2006.
Since 2007 he is the chair of Synnøve Finden.
He is a fellow of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences. He is the older brother of politician Dagfinn Sundsbø.