Gisle JohnseN
Founder and President
A veteran of both the music and tech industries, Gisle has been a trailblazer for decades, innovating new technologies and businesses with successful exits. Gisle co-founded Bergen Live, the biggest Norwegian concert promoter, launching it with a Rolling Stones concert in Norway, creating sold-out shows with Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Rihanna and others, and exiting with a Live Nation buyout in 2020. From 1995-2019 he was Head of the Board for Bergenfest, one of the biggest music festivals in Norway. In addition to his businesses with live music, Gisle invented several music software programs since the 90’s. Gisle co-founded MusIT in 2000, introducing Musicator to the global market, -the first CD-rom music program to be exported to the Chinese education system. Gisle founded Grieg Music Education in 2005, developing Music Delta, an interactive learning platform and celebrated on “The World Finance 100 List” in 2013, presenting the 100 new global Business elite of the year. In 2015 he founded oiid, the first stem-based music player for phones / tablets, and together with Mika Shino and Nikolai Johnsen he founded ito in 2020. Gisle has authored several books, 3 musicals and multiple record albums.
Nikolai Johnsen, Co-Founder, Head of Product
Nikolai has over a decade of experience working in various international digital music educational initiatives. He helped to develop the trailblazing software, Music Delta, one of the first cloud-based music education platforms, and he participated in the development of the first digital initiative for Bergenfest UNG which provided 10,000 local children and middle school students with an immersive and educational concert experience. Nikolai was a coordinator for Esperanza Spalding’s live-streamed ‘Exposure’ project, which won the Jazz FM Award for “Best Digital Initiative Of The Year” in 2018. Nikolai is also a musician, producer, and songwriter
Through his consultancy company, Sørensen EDB, Sindre has delivered systems and software services to a variety of clients and startups for over a decade. Sindre has brought his expertise in programming languages, hardware, and open source systems to deliver top-level information technology services to public education institutions, the Norwegian state, publicly funded art institutions, independent artists, and more. Sindre is also a tea enthusiast and is a partner in a successful tea import and sales company.
Sindre Sørensen, CTO
Sven has always worked with sound and music. In 1980, together with his colleague, he started the company Cruising Audio Concept, the first company in Norway to supply sound, lights, and stages for live concerts. The company grew and soon became one of the largest in Northern Europe.
At the same time, Sven traveled the world as the sound producer for major artists. He has, among other things, produced all the AHA concerts since they started in the mid-80s and has worked with several major international artists, in addition to most major Norwegian artists.
Sven sold his company 10 years ago. Now he is a shareholder in iTO and is responsible for the company's music productions, especially within our exciting promo and marketing projects.
Sven Persson, Music Director
Jonathan Duran, Program Director, Mexico
Jonathan is a Mexican, but has lived in Norway for fifteen years. He has been running businesses in both Mexico and Norway. In 2017 he started working with oiid. He was responsible for all the oiid activities in Mexico. In 2020 he moved back to Mexico, to work with his family’s company. Now he is also back in the education and music business, working for ito as a program director.
Professor in music education with more than 20 years of experience as a music producer and composer for films, documentaries, and advertising in various genres and styles. Has participated in more than 30 albums, composed 47 recorded songs, and released two solo albums and various singles. As a performer he has participated in more than 800 concerts and festivals in Mexico, Germany, Holland, United States and Norway. Has collaborated and shared the stage with artists such as Manu Chao, Save Ferris, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Café Tacvba, Molotov and Charly García. Leo has participated as a global ambassador for The Non Violence Project, ambassador of “Bolas En Juego” 2012 campaign for testicular cancer prevention, and was appointed in 2010 by the Mexican Youth Institute IMJUVE as "Caretaker of the observatory for the human rights of young people" by CNDH and UNFPA. In 2016, Leo founded Charamusca Music, a record label created to spread musical projects in indigenous languages.
Leo Añorve, Music Director, Mexico
Our Board
Gisle Johnsen, Founder, President and Chair of the Board
Martin Guigui, Director
Stein Erik Bjørnsen, Director
Martin Guigui, Director
Martin is an American and President of the company Sunset Pictures in Los Angeles.
Martin is an award-winning filmmaker, music director, composer, and Grammy-nominated music producer. Martin has directed feature films, and music videos, composed music for films and television, worked on over 100 productions, produced over 50 music albums, toured extensively, and is the music director for several high-profile broadcast concerts in the US.
Martin won two Cannes Film Awards earlier this year; Best Film and Best Producer.
Martin has worked with "Stars and Icons of the Entertainment industry" and has shared the stage, recorded, and performed with artists such as Billy Gibbons, Daryl Hall, Christina Aguilera, Stephen Stills, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Lady Gaga, Peter Frampton, Jose Feliciano, Smokey Robinson, Sam Moore, David Byrne and many others.
Stein Erik Bjørnsen, Director
Jetshop: Director of Board (May 2021 - )
Bergans: Chair of Board (2017-2021)
Vulkan Travel Group: CEO (2012-2018)
Europris: CEO (2009-2012)
Smart Club: CEO (1999-2007)
G-Sport: Director of Retail (1997-1999)
Telenor Telehuset AS: CEO (1995-1997)
Elkjøp, Norway: CEO (1994-1995)
Ikea: Warehouse Manager ( 1989-1994)
Word on the street…
“This is going to change the way we listen to music.”
—Wayne Shorter, Grammy-award winning jazz saxophonist & composer
““ito is the ideal music educational tool that I wish I had all these years teaching music!” ”
“Ito is an unparalleled platform for music fans. It allows you to dive into a song to see how it Is built, and then make it your own. I recommend ito as an incredibly useful tool for any music lover or music learner.”
— Alegre Corea, Grammy-award winning guitarist
“ito is THE tool for students, teachers and fans. Anyone who loves music will love ito.”