SalMar ASA’s board of directors has appointed Trond Williksen as its new CEO.
This comes after Leif Inge Nordhammer asked to be relieved of his duties, he served as CEO during two periods that comprise a total of more than 17 years.
Bjørn Flatgård, chairman of the Board of SalMar, said: "In Trond Williksen, SalMar ASA has secured the service of a new CEO with long experience and a strong position in the fisheries and aquaculture industries.”
He added: “I would like to express my sincere thanks to Leif Inge Nordhammer for his performance at the helm of SalMar, where he has contributed greatly to the company's development over the past few years.”
Mr Williksen, 52, has nearly 30 years’ experience in the fisheries and aquaculture industry. He most recently led AKVA Group ASA through a period of strong growth and previously held different management positions in the Aker Group's fisheries section.
Starting his career in the Norwegian Fishermen's Association, Mr Williksen then joined the aquaculture company Midt-Norsk Havbruk, and then Norske Fiskeoppdretteres Forening (currently Norwegian Seafood Federation).
He is a university college graduate of Fisheries Economics from Bodø, Norway, and holds an MBA from the University of Washington, his position will start on 1 January 2017.
Leif Inge Nordhammer will continue in his role as CEO until further notice, he first headed up SalMar from 1996 to 2011, this period saw strong growth, good financial and operational results. After two and a half years, Mr Nordhammer returned to the position as CEO in January 2014.
He concluded: "After nearly 18 years in SalMar, I have decided it is time to move on. When I returned to the company in 2014, I had clear ideas about how to take the company further.”
“Much of that process has now been completed and the time is right to leave the helm to a new captain, who can ensure that SalMar continues its positive trend, and help the industry evolve further.”
