New CPO to drive growth and scale AI-driven AP automation

Semine has appointed a new Chief Product Officer (CPO), Trygve Lønn, to further develop the company’s AI-driven accounts payable platform and ensure its scalability across international markets.

Trygve will lead Semines product development, ensuring the company’s AI solution for accounts payable (AP) automation meets the demands of a growing customer base in financial departments across industries.

International growth is challenging and brings new considerations. To prepare for this, Semine recently appointed Trygve Lønn as its new Chief Product Officer (CPO).

A well-established innovator

- I come here with a desire to build something new, while capitalising on my experience, Lønn says. Coming from a large player with a single focus, it’s exciting to join Semine, a smaller, agile, growth-oriented company.

Lønn joins Semine after 13 years with Unit4, where he held various roles, including Product Director and Head of Nordic Presales. Before that, he worked as a consultant at Deloitte for eight years, establishing a career focused on ERP and financial automation.

- Semine has been innovative, quickly establishing itself as a dynamic SaaS provider in a market where competitors often rely on legacy, on-premise solutions. This favorable position is one we must uphold, he explains.

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Transitioning from building to scaling

- Now the company is at a pivotal point, moving from building a company to scaling it. This requires more formaliastion and prioritisation to ensure continued success for the company, our clients, and the ecosystem, Lønn adds.

Beyond great

Since joining Semine, Lønn has deeply engaged with the details of the AP automation platform, SEMINE. He has examined the software architecture, attended customer meetings, analyzed strengths, and identified growth opportunities.

- I’ve found what I expected, and I’m impressed by the quality of work and Semines journey. Semine offers complete, end-to-end invoice processing. I can also see where we should focus to unlock further potential, he continues.

One such area is data capture and analytics. SEMINE collects significant data from each invoice, providing clients insights that can enhance decision-making.

- SEMINE’s extensive data collection allows clients to increase their ‘smartness’—not just from ‘okay to good,’ but from ‘good to beyond great, he explains.

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Staying at the forefront of innovation

In an industry where new developments emerge frequently, Lønn emphasises the importance of focusing on the right advancements.

- In the AI segment, there’s no shortage of new features and innovations, but we must decide which will expand SEMINE’s scope in a meaningful way. We are a best-of-breed solution and must act accordingly—especially as we expand internationally. SEMINE’s AI foundation is critical to our approach, he says.

While SEMINE has supported Norwegian clients in international markets for years, 2023 marked the opening of its first official sales office outside Norway, with plans for further expansion.

READ MORE: Semine enters Finland to empower finance teams with AI automation

Meeting local needs

Localisation is crucial, including compliance with local laws, national infrastructure, and digitalisation levels in each country. Ensuring compatibility with key ERP systems—including local providers—is essential.

A key addition

CEO in Semine Bjørn Røsten is impressed with Lønn’s dedication and believes it bodes well for the future.

- Trygve has the right background for this role, joining us at an exciting time. I believe he’ll continue to bring out the best in SEMINE, helping new and existing clients maximize the benefits of our solution. We strive to be the leading and most innovative provider in our field, using AI to support our clients, Røsten says.