Global offshore company makes first key appointment

SalMar Aker Ocean has made its first senior appointment as the company gears up for its global offshore aquaculture project.

The joint venture business has named Kristine Hartmann as its development director. She was previously operations director in C4IR Ocean, a foundation established by Aker and the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Prior to this, she was central in the development of the biotechnology company Aker BioMarine, where she was responsible for a number of change and development processes over a nine year period.

Hartmann said: “Now Norway’s new industrial adventure begins. For a civil engineer in marine technology, with experience through establishing fisheries in Antarctica and a strong commitment to sustainable business models, it feels like coming home.”

SalMar Aker Ocean said the appointment of Hartmann will be followed up with several new people taking up key management positions.

It was recently announced that Olav Andreas Ervik, who has led the company since its inception in 2019, plans to resign his position as CEO early next year. The search for his successor is currently underway.

Chairman Atle Eide said the company’s first goal was to be producing 150,000 tonnes of salmon by 2030.

“Our ambition is to be one of the world’s largest salmon producers from 2030, but that this goal is only the beginning.

“Along the way, a wealth of opportunities will be created for the Norwegian supplier industry in transition, and a foundation will be laid for thousands of industrial and engineering jobs in Norway.”

“The investment is, among other things, dependent on the authorities wanting to facilitate it, but at the same time new technological solutions will be developed for the entire value chain in SalMar Aker Ocean. Kristine Hartmann will have a central role in this,” he added.

Kristine Hartmann, SalMar Aker Ocean