Eirik and Martin share more than just genetics. Over the years, the Norwegian brothers have developed many common interests, fostering a close bond between them. Since childhood, Eirik has been a role model for Martin, who naturally followed in his older older brother’s footsteps. This shared journey eventually led them to become colleagues at Netcompany.
A close relationship since childhood
Despite a seven-year age gap, the Kvalheim brothers have shared a strong bond thorough their upbringing. From a young age, Martin was curious and inspired by everything Eirik did, and he is certain that he wouldn’t have pursued a career in IT without his older brother’s influence.
»Eirik has been a tremendous source of inspiration for me since childhood, and I wouldn’t be working in IT if it wasn’t for him. While some coincidences played a role in shaping my path, it’s no surprise to those who know us that we’ve both chosen careers in IT,« says Martin.
Martin has always looked up to his older brother, drawing inspiration from Eirik's example.
For Eirik, setting a good example has always been important."
Once aspired to be a teacher
As the oldest sibling, Eirik has always felt it was important to lead by example. With a long-standing passion for IT, he finds it rewarding to share his knowledge with others, especially his younger brother, Martin.
»I’ve always found joy in teaching and helping others, likely because of our father, who was a high school teacher,« Eirik says and continues:
»When I was younger, I wanted to become a teacher myself. Yet, I never lost my passion for IT, so pursuing a degree in computer engineering felt like a natural choice when I started my studies in 2007,« he explains.
Mutual inspiration
»Being the older brother has probably shaped my sense of responsibility, and I like to think I’ve had a positive influence on Martin. But he has qualities I don’t possess, and I’m often inspired by his calmness and self-confidence. He’s taught me that when you work hard for something, sometimes the best approach is to step back, assess the situation, and trust that things will eventually fall into place,« Eirik emphasises.
Eirik Kvalheim
A year in France
Although Eirik has been a role model for Martin in many ways, he emphasises that Martin has always made his own choices. One of these was spending a year in France during high school — an experience Martin has never regretted.
»Since high school, I have been captivated by the French language, so when the opportunity to join an exchange program in France came up, I couldn’t pass it up. Living in a new country with a different culture and language was enlightening and challenging, pushing me to mature in many ways. As a result, I returned to Norway a very different person than when I left,« Martin recalls.
Combining fatherhood with work life
In 2020, Eirik joined Netcompany, and just two years later, Martin followed in his brother’s footsteps. Today, they hold different roles—Eirik is a manager on a project with Møller Mobility Group, while Martin works as a senior architect for the Municipality of Oslo.
While both are busy with their careers, they are also devoted fathers to their young children.
»We both lead busy lives at Netcompany – managing challenging, exciting projects while balancing family responsibilities. I have two young children, but fortunately, we receive excellent support and resources to combine work and family life effectively,« says Eirik.
»Fatherhood gives me a sense of completeness and grounding that inspires me in my work, and I couldn’t imagine my life without it,« he adds.
Agreeing with Eirik, Martin believes that being a father enhances his life at home and serves as a catalyst for personal growth.
»Being a father means I learn something new every day, and by maintaining good routines at home, I enhance my daily life while raising my daughter.«
Although the brothers share a closer relationship than most colleagues, both are confident that they would collaborate effectively if they ever worked on the same project.
»Since we work on different projects, we rarely see each other. However, I recognise Martin’s strengths both as a person and a consultant. Therefore, I do not doubt that if we ever worked together on a project, we would make a great team,« Eirik explains.
»With a ‘we-focus,’ we strive to achieve the best solutions on every project together as a team. If Eirik and I were to collaborate in the future, I believe it would be an exciting challenge that we would tackle successfully,« Martin ends.
