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Our stellar team is what makes Trailstone a special place to work, and we want you to meet the crew committed to making sustainable energy sustainable. For our Employee Spotlight series, we’re highlighting a range of team members throughout the organization to take an inside look at their current roles, passions and take a walk down the roads that led them to where they are today.
For our second installment in this series, we’re highlighting Trailstone’s European COO, Linn Solheim, who started her Trailstone career in the trading room, and worked her way up to become a company leader. Read on to learn more about Linn’s journey — from spending weeks in the Nicaraguan jungle, to the critical role she currently plays out of our Berlin office.
Q: What is your title?
A: I’m European COO at Trailstone.
Q: What do you do at Trailstone?
A: In my role, I work closely with the business’ various supporting functions to help manage the day-to-day running of the firm, and help drive the execution of Trailstone’s business plans.
I am responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the existing business activities are running well by solving problems, proactively managing risks, and providing information and analysis. My work drives front-to-back delivery of business change and ensures the required trading infrastructure is in place so we are set up for success.
In short, I’m a bit like the oil which helps the Trailstone machine run smoothly!
Q: Which office do you work out of and what do you enjoy about that location?
A: I work from the Berlin office and I look forward to seeing my fantastic colleagues in the office every morning. The company culture we have built as a team is probably what I like the most about the Berlin office. We have so many great people from all over the world who are not only incredibly skilled, but also a lot of fun to work with.
Q: How did you end up in Berlin?
A: I love the city of Berlin. I earned a master’s degree in Energy and Environmental engineering at NTNU in Trondheim, Norway, and during my 4th year I had an Erasmus exchange year at a Berlin university. I immediately fell in love with the city, but when two semesters had passed I had to go back to Trondheim to write my master's thesis about PV clusters in Wawashang, Nicaragua, in collaboration with Engineers Without Borders. After weeks in the Nicaraguan jungle, I finished my thesis and left my motherland Norway to settle down and find a job in Berlin.
Q: What about Trailstone's work is important or meaningful to you?
A: When I heard about Trailstone I immediately found the business idea and start-up culture interesting, and in 2013 I started working for Trailstone as the first intraday trader on the 24/7 Team. It was very exciting to help build the desk and learn from the best about European power markets and how short-term power trading works.
We eventually realized that my skillset and risk profile was not the best match for an intraday trader, and in 2014 I moved over to the operations team in the role of Business Manager. The Business Manager role suited me very well and I felt it was a full match with my skillset and personality.
I very much enjoy working in a small team and spending time learning from the best in the industry. In 2022, I stepped up into the European COO role and am thrilled about the responsibility and challenges ahead!
Q: What are you looking forward to in your role over the next year?
A: I’m looking forward to supporting the company’s growth and geographical expansion as well as overseeing the completion of some bigger projects our team is working on. I am also excited to see the launch of new activities we are currently planning. In general, it will be great to witness the energy transition unfold across the globe.
Q: Are there any challenges that lie ahead in your role that you're working through?
A: In the coming months and years, I’ll be supporting the completion of a large cross functional project which requires heavy lifting and alignment from across the organisation.
The geographical product expansion will also be an exciting challenge as it requires significant research on many levels to determine market structures and the according product offerings, corporate structures, and more.
Lastly, as the company continues to grow, I’ll have a strong role to play in making sure that our growth is sustainable and that we succeed in getting the new joiners on board and steering in the same direction.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
A: I see myself growing within the organisation and continuing to learn to grow and broaden my skill set. I could also see myself getting more involved with further geographical expansions across the globe to help replicate the success in the existing locations and markets.