Thorir Hergeirsson has spent most of his life studying what makes people and teams perform at their best. Born in Selfoss, Iceland, he began coaching at just 15 years old and has since worked with players at every level, from youth teams to the very top of international handball.

After moving to Norway in 1986 to study at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Thorir went on to spend three decades with the Norwegian Handball Federation. From 2009 to 2024, he was Head Coach of Norway’s women’s national team, leading them to 17 international championship medals, 11 of them gold, across the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships.

With a master’s degree in sport psychology and coaching, Thorir’s fascination has always gone beyond tactics and results. His work is rooted in understanding people, building trust, developing strong cultures and creating the conditions for performance when expectations are at their highest.

Today, he works as an advisor, mentor and coach in both elite sport and business. At TEDxArendal, he brings decades of experience from the very top of international sport to a bigger question: what does it really take to lead people towards something extraordinary?