Graduated from the Norwegian Naval Academy in 1954.
After four years service in the Navy i.a. From 1960–1962 Attaché at the Norwegian embassy in Paris. After a period as Vice-Consul at the Consulate General in New York he returned in 1965 to the Ministry as First Secretary.
From 1967 - 1970 First Secretary of Embassy at the Norwegian Permanent Delegation in Geneva.
Served as trade policy advisor to the Norwegian Export Council. In 1972 he returned to the Ministry as Head of Division, later to serve as Counsellor of Embassy in Brussels.
From 1973 Minister Counsellor and deputy head of the Norwegian Delegation to Organization of European Cooperation and Development with the special task of finalizing Norway’s agreement with the Institute of Economic Affairs. From 1977–1981 Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Norwegian Embassy in Washington. 1981–1982 Ambassador to Iraq.
1982- 1983
Ambassador and Special advisor I the Foreign Ministry and representative to the Institute of Economic Affairs. On 1953 on leave to serve as Director of Oil Market Development in the International Energy Agency and Organization of European Cooperation and Development Combined Energy Staff.
1986 - 1989 Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1986–1994 Ambassador to Organization of European Cooperation and Development. First Norwegian to chair the Executive Committee of the Organization of European Cooperation and Development. 1994–1996 Ambassador to Greece
1996 - 1999 Ambassador to the Netherlands
Decorations
1994: Honorary citizen of the City of Athens
1996: Grand Cross of the Greek Order of Phoenix.