Tom Cato Karlsen

Tom Cato Karlsen is a Norwegian politician and anesthesiologist. He was served as a deputy representative for the Storting for Nordland county from 2013 to 2017 and as a state secretary for the Ministry of Transport and Communications from 2014 to 2017. On 26 October 2018, he was appointed to be the new County Governor of Nordland county, assuming office on 1 January 2019.

Political career

Local politics

Karlsen was a member of the Bodø Municipal Council between 2003 and 2015. During this time he also served as deputy mayor of Bodø between 2011 and 2014, when he resigned to become state secretary at the Ministry of Transport. He was succeeded by Allan Ellingsen.

State Secretary

Karlsen was appointed as state secretary to the Ministry of Transport on 17 October 2014. He resigned from the post on 1 December 2017, sighting family reasons and returned to his civilian job in his native Bodø.

County governor

Karlsen was appointed county governor of Nordland on 26 October 2018 and assumed office on 1 January 2019, succeeding Hill-Marta Solberg. He was renominated for a second six-year-term in April 2024, commencing from 1 January 2025.