Intentional leadership and building a culture of trust with Atea’s CEO Steinar Sønsteby

For CEOs, leadership at scale is rarely accidental. Growth, transformation and culture are not the results of momentum but are choices, made deliberately.

Few exemplify this better than Steinar Sønsteby, CEO of Atea, one of Europe’s largest IT infrastructure providers. With nearly 10,000 employees and $6 billion in revenue, Atea is a significant force in the Nordic and Baltic markets. But behind those numbers is a leadership philosophy rooted not in urgency or bravado, but in intention.

In his conversation on the latest Pivot Points podcast, Steinar laid out a refreshing, grounded perspective on decision-making, trust, timing, and the kind of culture that sustains high performance over decades.

Every defining moment is a choice

Intentional leadership often starts with a single, defining decision. The first moment you back your own judgment, even when those closest to you advise otherwise. For Steinar, that moment came early when he turned down Norway’s premier (and free) engineering school to study in the United States against his mentor’s – his father’s – wishes.

“I had to pay for it myself,” Steinar says, “but I wanted to see the world.” It wasn’t easy – culturally, financially or personally – but it set a tone that would define his leadership: purposeful risk, in pursuit of a bigger horizon.

That willingness to step into the unknown, not recklessly, but purposefully, became a hallmark of his career. He left a promising engineering track to join a tech startup in its infancy. Within years, he had helped take it public. Later, he moved to a small Norwegian IT company, now Atea, and led its evolution into a regional powerhouse.

None of these moves were reactive. All of them were intentional. Each was a bet, backed by belief, self-awareness and careful consideration. That, in Steinar’s words, is what separates a plan from a pivot: “You don’t always know the outcome, but you know why you’re doing it.”

Timing is everything

If there’s one thread that runs through Steinar’s leadership philosophy, it’s the belief that timing, not just strategy, is what separates good decisions from great ones.

“I’ve made more mistakes by moving too early than too late,” he admits. “If you're late, you can usually catch up. If you're early, you burn time, money, and trust.”

This approach has served Atea well as it navigates seismic shifts in cloud computing, AI, and digital infrastructure. Steinar listens, reflects, and acts when the organization, and market, are ready. Holding your nerve is often the most courageous move a CEO can make.

Culture as an engine, not an ornament

Ask Steinar what he’s most proud of, and you won’t hear about revenue or headcount. He’ll talk about culture. About autonomy. About trust.

At Atea, he’s built what he calls “the place to be for smart people”, a sense of belonging that transcends employer branding and lands closer to identity. So much so that he’s had the company’s logo tattooed over his heart. Not for show, but as a permanent symbol of what the business represents to him and to others.

“If I have to tell you how to do your job,” he says, “you’re not the best version of yourself.” That belief in people and in their capacity to lead from wherever they sit is foundational to how Atea operates.

Culture isn’t soft. It’s structural. And in Steinar’s world, it’s non-negotiable.

Leading with presence and perspective

Leadership, Steinar says, is lonely. The responsibility never leaves. But instead of retreating into a protective shell, he makes space for clarity: long walks in the mountains, hours on the bike, quiet time to think before making big calls.

“It’s where I process the hard decisions,” he explains. “Not everything can be solved in a boardroom or a Teams call.”

In a profession that often celebrates speed over substance, Steinar’s model is a powerful counterpoint: set the pace, carry others with you, finish as a team.

Want to learn more? Listen to the full discussion, up on our Pivot Points podcast now.