Born March 16, 1959 in Oslo.
1987: graduated from the University of Oslo with a degree in economics.
1979-1981: journalist for daily Arbeiderbladet, publication for the promotion of the Norwegian Labour Party (NLP).
1981: information secretary at Oslo chapter of NLP.
1979: NLP Youth League, board member.
1985-1989: NLP Youth League, chairman.
1985 to present: Norwegian Labour Party, board member.
1985-1989: Socialist Youth International, vice-president.
1989-1990: consultant at the Central Bureau of Statistics, lecturer of economics at the University of Oslo.
1990-1991: Ministry of Environment, state secretary.
1990-1992: Oslo chapter of NLP, chairman.
1992-2001:NLP, deputy chairman.
1993-1996: Minister for trade and energy in Gro Harlem Brundtland's cabinet.
October 1996 - October 1997: Minister of Finance in Thorbjorn Jagland's cabinet.
1997: elected member of Storting, Norway's supreme legislature.
1997-2000: chairman of Storting committee of energy and environmental affairs. Deputy chairman of NLP in Storting.
February 2000: chairman of Labor Party's faction in Storting.
March 2000-October 2001: Prime Minister.
2001: elected chairman of NLP following the party's defeat in parliamentary election. Chairman of NLP in Storting.
2001-2005: member of committee for foreign policy in Storting.
2005-2009: Prime Minister of the left-wing government coalition of NLP, Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party.
Retained post of Prime Minister following parliamentary election of September 14, 2009.
Married, with two children (b. 1989 and 1992).