Abler Nordic Appoints Marlene Hormes as Chief Executive Officer
Marlene will lead the next phase of growth, expanding the organisation's reach across new markets and financial services.
Abler Nordic today announced the appointment of Marlene Hormes as its new Chief Executive Officer. She joins Abler Nordic in February 2026, succeeding Arthur Sletteberg, who has led the organization for more than a decade.
Marlene brings over 25 years of international investment and leadership experience across private equity and debt investments, with a strong track record of scaling organizations, mobilising capital, and delivering measurable social impact alongside sustainable financial returns.
"Marlene is an accomplished leader with the strategic vision and execution capability to guide Abler Nordic into its next phase of growth," says Anders Misund, Chair of the Board.
"She brings deep investment expertise and a strong track record across emerging markets, and is well positioned to build on Abler Nordic's foundation, strengthen its global position, and advance our mission of expanding financial inclusion while generating sustainable returns for our investors."
Throughout her career, Marlene has held senior executive and investment leadership roles at global impact and financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs, DEG, and WaterEquity, where she most recently served as Chief Investment Officer. She has led international teams across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments to drive long-term value creation.
"I am honored to join Abler Nordic as CEO. The organization has built a strong platform over nearly two decades, and I am excited to work with the Board and team to expand our reach in key markets, drive sustainable returns, and strengthen our position as a trusted partner for both investees and investors committed to impact," says Marlene.
Marlene’s appointment reflects the ambition of Abler Nordic’s Board and owners — DNB, Ferd, Impact Fund Denmark, KLP, and Norfund — to further scale the firm’s activities and expand its reach across new markets and financial services.
Since its establishment in 2008, Abler Nordic has mobilised USD 470 million to invest in financial institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, helping empower nearly 14 million people with access to financial services.
With its roots in microfinance, Abler Nordic has evolved to invest across a broader range of financial services, including affordable housing and small business finance, while maintaining a strong focus on low-income households.
A core strength of Abler Nordic’s model is its ability to leverage catalytic public capital to mitigate risk and mobilise private investment, helping to close the $4 trillion SDG financing gap.
Public capital from Norfund and Impact Fund Denmark, together with grant support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norad for key risk-mitigation mechanisms, has played a key role in attracting private investors and scaling impact since the organization’s inception.
About Abler Nordic
Abler Nordic (formerly Nordic Microfinance Initiative) was established in Oslo in 2008 as a public–private partnership and invests in companies across Africa and Asia providing financial services to low-income households, combining social impact with sustainable financial returns. With offices in Nairobi, Bangalore, Jakarta and Oslo, Abler Nordic manages six funds with USD 470 million in committed capital.
