Niels Alsted, aquaculture feed company BioMar’s executive vice president of business relations, has retired after 45 years of service in the industry.
Nicknamed ‘Mr Aquaculture’ by his colleagues, Mr Alsted’s career began in 1974 on a trout farm in Denmark before moving into aquaculture research at the University of Tromsoe’s Institute of Fisheries.
Carlos Diaz, chief executive of BioMar Group paid tribute to Mr Alsted. “Niels has been one of the most important people forming not only BioMar but also the industry. His dedication to developing a sustainable and professional aquaculture has led to industry standards and the high-end feed ranges we see in the market.
“Furthermore, he has been one of the most important people forming the culture in BioMar: A culture built upon trust, relationships, professionalism and a desire to pioneer the future of the industry,” he said.
Mr Alsted spent several years in academia rising to associate professor at Aalborg University where he undertook his commercial PhD with BioMar in 1987.
Over the past 32 years Mr Alsted has held various positions in BioMar and contributed to opening new markets such as Chile and China whilst part of the executive management team. He has published several papers on nutrition and sustainability and was instrumental in the creation of the first ever environmentally friendly aquaculture feed product, Ecoline.
In addition to his work at BioMar, Mr Alsted has been a member of various industry committees, most recently chairing the Board of the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation. He is also a member of both the Global Salmon Initiative feed task force and IFFO RS.
