Yrjö Julin has been appointed President & CEO of Aker Yards. He succeeds Karl Erik Kjelstad who has served as Aker Yards CEO since January 2003. Kjelstad will leave Aker Yards to join the executive management team of Aker ASA.
Yrjö Julin has been with Aker Yards since 2002, first as President of Aker Finnyards and since 2004 as President of Aker Yards Cruise & Ferries Business Area. From the Aker Yards head quarters in Oslo, Norway, Julin will lead Aker Yards' 20.000 employee strong organisation, with 18 shipyards in eight countries.
Over the next few weeks, Julin will visit many of Aker Yards locations to meet employees; he will also meet customers, media and other stakeholders.
"Under Karl Erik Kjelstad's dynamic leadership, Aker Yards has become renowned for its bold combination of strategic and operational development. The employees of Aker Yards have taken the company from an annual revenue base of NOK 12 billion to a revenue base of NOK 35 billion. I feel extremely proud and honoured to be asked to lead Aker Yards into the future", says Yrjö Julin.
"Yrjö Julin has a solid industry track record, and the Board of Directors is very pleased that he has accepted the position as Aker Yards new CEO", said Svein Sivertsen Chairman of Aker Yards Board of Directors.
"Over the past years, Aker Yards' shareholders have enjoyed a sustained period of positive shareholder value, and we are confident that Yrjö Julin will continue to grow shareholder value and build an even stronger Aker Yards going forward," Svein Sivertsen added.
Julin said his vision for Aker Yards is to continue building its global leading position in both the offshore & specialized vessel and cruise vessel market and to continue the repositioning of the merchant vessel business to be a niche player for specialized merchant vessels.
