Fish processing systems supplier Optimar has appointed Sigurdur Òlason as its CEO.
Optimar was recently bought by the investment company Kaldbakur, owned by the family-owned Icelandic seafood company Samherji, which operates a fleet of fishing vessels, as well as fish processing plants and land-based aquaculture facilities.
Òlason’s career actually began at Samherji. Before starting university, he worked as a fisherman on one of the company’s vessels for two years. Since then, the Icelandic has gained valuable experience in the industry.
“After graduating, I worked as a developer at Marel and was involved in installations all over the world. I then completed an MBA, before the road led me back to Samherji,” he said.
He is a qualified engineer in Industrial Mechanics and Computer Science. In addition, he has an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship. After six years in Samherji, Òlason was Managing Director of Marel’s fisheries division for six years. For the last three years, he has worked in an innovative start-up focusing on the energy transition in the fishing and cargo fleet in Iceland.
“I find innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence extremely interesting. The way I see it, it is crucial for the future of today’s companies,” Òlason said.
“It is very exciting to be back in the seafood industry. I know Optimar from previous roles and am looking forward to working closely with Optimar’s innovative team. We are facing a period of exciting opportunities and together we will lead the development in the market.”
