Hopp til hovudinnhald
Portrett av direktør Henrik Nordal

Henrik Nordal – Director

Henrik Nordal serves as the Director of the Independent Evaluation Department for Norwegian Development Cooperation. Prior to this position, he spent five years leading the Norwegian Gambling Authority (NGA), where he guided the organization to be recognized as the world’s foremost gambling regulatory authority by the International Association of Gambling Regulators (IAGR) in 2023. He was also instrumental in establishing Norway’s National Platform for the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions during his tenure at the NGA.  

  • More about Henrik:

    Nordal’s extensive background further includes service in intelligence and foreign affairs, with assignments in regions such as Sudan, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.

    He also has experience from the Norwegian military, both from Norway and its international operations. His diverse expertise in leadership, governance, and international relations now informs his commitment to strengthening Norwegian development cooperation—promoting learning, enhancing accountability, and generating insights that support decision-makers. 

Laura Tagle – Senior Adviser 

Laura Tagle, Senior Adviser, serves at the Independent Evaluation Department of Norwegian Development Cooperation, co-leading the development of the Department Multi-Annual Evaluation Program and building a collaboration with the Norwegian Space Agency to innovate data sources for more accurate and useful evaluations. 

  • More about Laura:

    Laura has over 25 years of experience in evaluation, both as a public servant (in Italy and for the World Bank) and as a consultant, taking on assignments for foundations and public organizations at the international, national, regional, and local level.

    She is the author of articles in peer reviewed journals: her main contributions to evaluation practice and theory are in the areas of locally-led evaluations, of the construction of evaluation systems, and of the use of evaluations to support policy development and implementation. She was elected to the boards of the European Evaluation Society (EES) and of the International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS). She holds degrees in Economics, International Relations, and International Development and Regional Planning. 

Anne-Thora Vardøy-Mutale – Senior Adviser  

Anne-Thora Vardøy-Mutale, Senior Adviser, joins Norec from her position as Director of Partnerships and Innovation at the Southern African Institute of Collaborative Research and Innovation (SAICRIO) in Zambia. She has previously served as Director of Program Development and Quality at Save the Children Zambia, and led the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) data-driven education program from pilot to scale whilst working for VVOB. 

  • More about Anne-Thora:

    As an adviser with UNDP Malawi, she worked on governance, aid effectiveness, increasing the use of evidence in UN programming, and was responsible for innovation work through the introduction of the “Accelerator Labs.” 

    She has interdisciplinary and multicultural expertise from developing and leading complex projects in areas such as governance, education, health, and climate with various partners and donors. Key strengths include developing evidence-based plans, projects, strategies, and policies, building and maintaining partnerships, evaluations, qualitative and quantitative research, resource mobilization, and leading interdisciplinary teams. She is committed to working with and through government systems where possible to achieve changes from within, as well as closely collaborating with local communities and stakeholders. 

Kai Brand-Jacobsen – Senior Adviser

Kai Brand-Jacobsen serves as Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Government’s Independent Evaluation Department for Norwegian Development Cooperation. He has more than two decades experience working in large-scale evaluation processes and impact evaluation in conflict and war-affected crisis, and 28 years working in peacebuilding and crisis management across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

  • More about Kai:

    From May 2025 he is serving as the Chair of the OECD EvalNet Conflict and Fragility Working Group. Until 2024 he served as the President of the Romanian Peace Institute and Director of the Department of Peace Operations. In 2019 he was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi – Martin Luther King Jr. – Ikeda Lifetime Achievement Award for extraordinary contributions to humanity by Martin Luther King Jr.’s Alma Mater, Morehouse College. His work is one of the subjects of the documentary movie In Pursuit of Peace.

    His current focus areas include evaluation in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, pioneering innovations in utilization of evaluation results in policy making and initiative design and implementation. He is dedicated to designing evaluation processes and practices to meet the needs of practitioners and policymakers, foster learning and improvement, and rooted in authentic and inclusive stakeholder and community engagement, empowerment, and participatory and collaborative approaches strengthening local and national ownership and capacity. 

Rola Hbeichi – Senior Adviser  

Rola Hbeichi, Senior Adviser, is an experienced MEL professional with a strong background in international development and humanitarian work. She has supported organizations in designing MEL systems, running evaluations, and promoting learning and collaboration across teams. 

  • More about Rola:

    With an MBA and a degree in International Relations, Rola has worked on projects across Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq—focusing on emergency response, infrastructure, and community development. Her work emphasizes practical, evidence-based solutions that are responsive to local needs. 

    She is fluent in Arabic and English and enjoys working with diverse partners to create positive, lasting impact. Currently, Rola is co-leading the development of a multi-year program for the Evaluation Department, helping shape long-term strategies and learning frameworks with both structure and a smile. 

Muhammad Ali Kaifi – Adviser

Muhammad Ali Kaifi, Adviser, has a track record of delivering impactful solutions at the intersection of sustainability, development, and governance. He holds a master’s degree in Sustainability Transitions from the University of Stavanger and a bachelor’s degree in politics and international relations from the London School of Economics — both from globally respected institutions. 

  • More about Muhammad Ali:

    Since 2017, Ali has held positions in research and advisory roles, where he has driven transformative initiatives in sustainability transitions. His expertise spans impact assessments, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) reporting, and carbon footprint analysis, supporting organizations in achieving ambitious climate and development goals. 

    Ali has advised stakeholders across Norway and Pakistan on embedding ESG principles into strategy, ensuring data-driven decision-making, and aligning large-scale development programs with international sustainability standards. His work consistently bridges policy and practice, strengthening resilience, transparency, and accountability in complex environments. 

Laura Stana – Adviser  

Laura Stana, adviser, has a diverse background in performance management, research, and communications across private, non-profit, and governmental sectors. Her extensive experience in MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning) and research has deepened her understanding of context-relevant aid work approaches. 

  • More about Laura:

    From working in Palestinian refugee camps in the Middle East and on the National Solidarity Program building local governance capacity in Afghanistan in her 20s to managing safe specimen transfers during the Ebola emergency in West Africa, Laura has consistently strived to make a meaningful impact through data storytelling.

    Since July 2022, she has been based in Eastern Europe, primarily in Kyiv, while also supporting the Ukraine response in Moldova, Poland, and Romania. Laura believes in unwavering commitment to excellence and adheres to the Zen precept 随処作主 — “Be the master of every situation.”