Meet the NASF 2025 speakers:

North Atlantic Seafood Forum
Bergen – Norway, March 4th to 6th 2025

Bastiaan joined Nutreco in January 2019, at Nutreco’s Livestock feed business line, Trouw Nutrition, as General Manager for the Benelux, Scandinavia and France before becoming Managing Director for Trouw Nutrition Europe & Central Asia in November 2022. Bastiaan took over as CEO for Skretting, Nutreco’s aquaculture business line, in June 2024, joining Nutreco’s Management Board at the same time.
Before joining Nutreco, Bastiaan worked in various commercial and operational leadership roles at SHV daughter company, Makro in Brazil. Prior to joining Makro, he worked at Royal Dutch Shell for four years.
Bastiaan studied at the University of Groningen and holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts in International Organisation and International Relations.

Hilde Talseth is CEO of Norsk Kylling, a leading broiler chicken producer in Norway, and the first producer in the world to implement the ECC standard for animal welfare throughout the whole value chain. Talseth has had a key role leading the sustainable transition in Norsk Kylling. Amoung other projects, Talseth was responsible for implementing the slow growing chicken breed Hubbard.

Talseth has over the past 15 years had leading roles in the food production industry in Norway. She holds an MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration.

Since joining Rabobank International in 2005, Gorjan Nikolik (45) has been an industry analyst focusing on the global seafood sector including aquaculture, wild-catch, seafood trade and processing. In his primary role, he works as a senior sector expert to Rabobank departments such as Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Finance, Venture Capital, Credit Risk Management and the Relationship Bankers. He is a regular speaker on global seafood and aquaculture conferences and has published research reports covering the seafood industry. He also has experience as a commodity analyst having covered the sugar industry. Gorjan holds a masters degree in Finance and Business Administration from the University of Maastricht and an MBA from Maastricht School of Management.

Mr. Vindheim was appointed CEO in 2019. Prior to this he held the position as CFO.

Mr. Vindheim has experience from various executive positions in seafood and other industries. He was CFO of Mowi for seven years before taking on the position of CEO.

Mr. Vindheim holds an MSc in Business and an MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics. He is also a State Authorized Public Accountant and Certified European Financial Analyst.

Matt Lee Chief Executive – UK and Ireland

Matt joined Hilton Foods in May 2020. He is an experienced Executive Board Member with a proven track record of delivery within the food industry, ranging from large corporate organisations to business “turn arounds” in Private Equity.

Marie Egenberg, Business Unit Director Salmon Europe and Global Marketing.
Working at Pharmaq, part of Zoetis, a global leader in vaccine development and innovation for aquaculture. With 17 years of industry experience, I am dedicated to ensuring the health and well-being of aquatic species through advanced vaccine solutions and providing exceptional service to our clients.

Growing up on a Canadian grain farm in rural Saskatchewan ignited Brent’s life-long passion for agriculture. After completing his degree in agricultural economics from the University of Saskatchewan, Brent started as a sales representative and quickly advanced into canola marketing, novel traits, and healthy oil demand creation roles. Nufarm recruited Brent in 2006 to become the Canadian Commercial Manager; two years later he moved to Australia to lead the company’s new seed technologies business.

Brent has 27+ years of industry experience, as a leader in the global agrifoods business. Under his strategic leadership, Nufarm Seed Technologies has become a global leader with world-class Innovation Centers in each hemisphere, earned seed sales in over 30 countries, and developed R&D programs, advanced trials, and facilities in Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Matt Craze worked for many years as a commodities analyst, helping establish Bloomberg’s agri-commodities pricing coverage, and as a strategy consultant working for most Big 4 firms. He set up Spheric Research in 2017 as an independent research firm dedicated to the global aquaculture industry. Spheric Research focuses on emerging aquaculture species and technologies and has advised several governments, major companies, and non-profit groups around the world. The company’s yearly Land-based Aquaculture Report, published each year via Undercurrent News, has been featured in The Economist.

Extensive experience from the salmon production sector
– SalMar (CFO)
– Pan Fish / Marine Harvest (CFO)
– Bakkafrost (board position)

Experience from the oil service / drilling sector
– Aker Drilling
– Transocean
– Bjørge / Stream / MRC Global

More than 25 years in various leadership positions. More than 10 years in auditing / consulting sector. Board member in listed companies for more than 10 years. Experience from Norwegian and international companies.

Steven Rafferty has been Cermaq CEO since March 2022. Cermaq is one of the worlds largest salmon producers with operations in Norway, Chile and Canada.

He joined Cermaq in 2008 holding the position as CFO and later COO Farming in Cermaq until 2010. Steven has a broad experience from aquaculture and has been an executive in various global companies with positions in Skretting, Nutreco, and Mowi. Steven has been working in UK, Chile, USA, The Netherlands and Norway during his career.

Worked at Lerøy since 1993 and have had a number of different roles:
-Sales of processed products
-Director for Asia
-Managing Director at Hallvard Lerøy AS
-Group Director of Marketing at Lerøy Seafood Group
-CEO of Lerøy Seafood Group since 2010

Synne is the technology Application Lead, leading the product development team for Cargill’s salmon business in Norway, UK and Canada. During her 10 years with Cargill she has led the development and implementation of a range of new products and solutions to our market. Synne has a PhD in fish nutrition from the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, and her core focus in Cargill has been on nutrition and grower diets to deliver improved and tailored solutions to the market.

Ragnar Nystøyl has been with Kontali for over two decades, serving as the Managing Director from 2007-2017 and as Head of Kontali’s analysis department and Chief Analyst since 2017. As a market analyst, Nystøyl’s focus is primarily on farmed salmonids, but has also held a “seafood generalist” role for the past decade. Nystøyl holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and export marketing from Trondheim Business School and the Madrid campus of Suffolk University, respectively.

Andreas Kvame has been the CEO of Grieg Seafood ASA since 2015. He has international experience from change management and improvements in the aquaculture industry from a number of companies. He has previously worked as CEO of Scanbio AS, and as director of sales and supply at Mowi, where he was also responsible for the integration of Stolt Seafarms, Panfisk, and Fjord Seafood.

Kvame has an educational background in agriculture, aquaculture and business administration.

Oda Høyland is young executive working as Commercial Director in BioMar Norway. She has held various positions in BioMar since 2016, including head of customer service and landbased specialist. In her current role as CCO she leads the feed company’s commercial strategies and customer partnerships in the Norwegian market.

Oda is a marine biologist with a MSc in Aquaculture from NTNU. Before joining BioMar she worked for CFEED and MOWI, and frequent flyers may have met her mid air as flight attendant for SAS 15 years ago

Leif Kjetil Skjæveland is Skretting’s manager for sustainability and public affairs in Norway and is part of the official steering group for the Norwegian government’s mission on sustainable feed. He works extensively with raw material challenges in both the supplier and retail sectors, as well as Skretting’s projects involving novel and circular ingredients. Skjaeveland has a background from scientific writing, journalism and marketing and branding.

Guus Pastoor chairs the Brussels based European Association for seafood processors/ traders AIPCE.

At the national level he chairs the Dutch association Visfederatie. The associations voice the position and needs of the member operators in the political arena.

Guus has a master in economics and a longstanding experience in the seafood world.

Evy Vikene recently joined Nuseed to lead the implementation of their groundbreaking plant-based omega-3 oil in Norway and Europe. Evy is an industry veteran and has up until she joined Nuseed had her whole career in the feed giant Skretting, last as Commercial Director.

Jorge studied communications at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, international marketing at King’s College London, and corporate sustainability at New York University. From 2009 to 2014, he worked at ProChile, an agency of Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He joined Skretting in 2015. Since 2018, he has worked at Skretting’s headquarters in Stavanger, Norway, and he was appointed to his current position in September 2021.

Elin Kvamme is serving as the Global Aqua Director at Innovafeed, a pioneering company in sustainable insect production.
Elin’s academic journey began at the prestigious Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, where she earned her degree in veterinary medicine. Her passion for aquatic health and sustainable practices led her to pursue a master’s degree in aquatic medicine from the Veterinary School in Oslo.
Throughout her career, Elin has worked with various companies and suppliers in the aquaculture industry, consistently focusing on nutrition, feed, and additives.
At Innovafeed, Elin works to bring insects to the aquaculture industry, maintaining close contact with customers and farmers. Additionally, she actively participates in research and development (R&D) to demonstrate product performance and the value of Innovafeed’s products.

Marco Custodio is a marine biologist with a PhD in Marine Sciences and a Master’s in Aquaculture, specializing in sustainable aquaculture. As a Project Manager at Earthworm Foundation, he leads initiatives to enhance environmental and social practices in shrimp and salmon supply chains, collaborating with French companies and their sourcing regions. An active contributor to the scientific community, he has published research on aquaculture nutrition, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, and ecosystem services. His efforts bridge science and industry, providing actionable insights that promote sustainability and innovation in aquaculture.

Carlos Mera heads Rabobank’s Agri Commodity Market Research team (ACMR) out of London. He joined Rabobank in 2015, having spent over seven years at a large physical commodity trading house. Carlos has visited over a thousand farms in several countries and is an experienced crop forecaster.

Carlos supervises Rabobank’s global S/D estimates of several agri commodities, forecasts prices and carries specific research projects like crop and stock surveys. Carlos’ research assists Rabobank’s extensive commodity client base, that extends from farmers and cooperatives to traders, food processors and supermarkets. He and his team support Rabobank rural, trade and large corporate lending, commodity sales and trading, M&A and stock finance, among other relevant services for the food & agri industry. Carlos got a BSc Economics degree from University of Buenos Aires and a MSc Finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Dr Brett Glencross is the Technical Director of IFFO (the Marine Ingredients Organisation), where he manages that organisation’s technical and regulatory portfolios. Prior to this he was the Professor of Nutrition at the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling in Scotland for five years. Over the past 25 years he has worked in various academic, institutional, and industrial roles across Australasia, the Middle East and Europe.

Kvame has an educational background in agriculture, aquaculture and business administration.

Douglas Martin is the founder and Managing Director of MiAlgae, a biotechnology company that recycles by-products from the whisky industry to produce a fermented, sustainable source of marine Omega-3s.’

Dr. Scient Fish Health with a broad background from different positions in the attraction industry, aquaculture, veterinary services, pharmaceutical industry, breeding industry, research, teaching and journalism. Experienced leader with excellent people skills and a strong focus on creating a healthy and positive work environment where employees thrive and always perform their best.

CFO in Gigante Salmon and Salten Aqua, with in-dept knowledge of the Gigante companies and their projects. Experience from Insula AS and Equinor ASA. Msc in Business from Handelshøgskolen Nord Universitet, Bodø.

Jordi Trias became President of Stolt Sea Farm in January 2018 after joining the business as Managing Director in 2016. Prior to this he spent 14 years with GBFoods, where he held several positions in marketing, sales and business unit management, located in Spain, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and Senegal. Jordi holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Barcelona, a masters degree in Marketing, and an MBA from the Instituto de Empresa. He is a citizen of Spain.

Jean-Charles Valette has held various financial leadership positions at food and production companies, both in listed and private environments. Most recently, he worked as the Vice-President Finance of Dott, a fast growing scale-up. Prior to this role, he was senior Vice-President Finance for CEVA Logistics, where he was directly involved in generating US$1.2 billion through a successful IPO on the SIX Swiss stock exchange. Jean-Charles brings great added value towards building, growing and transforming companies. Furthermore, he has strong expertise in corporate finance, process optimizations and transformations.

Lárus Ásgeirsson brings over 30 years of diverse leadership experience in aquaculture, agriculture, and food production. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board at LAXEY, where he is dedicated to advancing sustainable land-based salmon farming. Throughout his career, Lárus has held several important roles, including General Manager of the Shrimp Business Unit at National Aquaculture Group (NAQUA) and General Manager of the Poultry Division at Almarai. He has also served as CEO of both Icelandic Group hf and Sjova Almennar tryggingar hf and has held senior leadership positions at Marel hf.

Jens Þórðarson joined the aquaculture industry to become the CEO of GeoSalmo in 2021, at a time when the company was starting the development of its first fish farm. He is an engineer has a background in diverse management roles, primarily in the aviation industry with his last role being the COO of Icelandair Group since 2017. He has also done advisory and consulting work in the aviation and energy sectors.

Born in 1970, Eggert Þór worked from 1995 to 2008 at Íslandsbanki and Glitnir Bank. He served as the managing director of Glitnir Bank’s asset management in Iceland and Finland. Eggert Þór held the position of a finance manager of the company N1 (now the listed retail company Festi hf.) in 2011 and later CEO in February 2015. Eggert has been the chairman of the board of N1, Krónan, ELKO, Festi Real Estate, Bakkinn Supply Hotel, Malik Supply A/S and Nordic Marine Oil in Denmark.

Eggert Þór has a Cand. Oecon. degree in business administration and auditing from the University of Iceland and is a licensed stockbroker.

As a visionary entrepreneur in the aquaculture sector, Henden’s dedication has been devoted to advancing Halibut farming – recognizing its value as a sustainable superfood. With over 30 years of expertise in management and operations in the seafood industry, including more than 28 years specifically dedicated to farming Halibut, Henden began his journey as a Production Manager at Nordic Halibut in 1995 and ascended to the role of CEO in 2015 where his position has played an important role in driving Nordic Halibut’s ambitious growth plans towards 10,350 tonnes HOG by 2031 – releasing the potential in halibut farming as a sustainable superfood with an outstanding profit outlook in high-end markets.

12 years experience as Commercial Director at Sirena.
2 years experience as Assount Manager at Experian.
Education from Copenhagen Business School.

Webjørn Barstad is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aker QRILL Company, a position he has held since the company launched in January 2024. Before assuming this role, Barstad served for three years as the Executive Vice President (EVP) Offshore at Aker BioMarine, where he was responsible for the company’s offshore krill harvesting operations.

Barstad’s career in the seafood industry spans over three decades. He began in 1991 in production and sales at L.S. Larsen in Ålesund, Norway. He then spent 15 years in advisory and leadership roles within the Norwegian Fishermen’s Organization and the Norwegian Fishing Vessel Owners Association. Following this, he led operations at Strand Havfiske for five years before spending six years in senior positions at Havfisk ASA and Lerøy Seafood Group, including CEO of Lerøy Havfisk and Lerøy Norway Seafoods, as well as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Lerøy Seafood Group, where he oversaw all wild harvest-related activities of the Group.

Barstad holds a BA (Hons) in Business Organization (siv.øk) and an MSc in International Banking and Financial Services.

In his current role at Aker QRILL Company, Barstad is focused on building and growing the business based on years of expertise and innovation developed at Aker BioMarine. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable, high-quality krill ingredients that meet the highest standards.

Knut Nesse is Norwegian citizen, working as CEO of AKVA group ASA, a position he has held since November 2019. Prior to his current positions, Mr. Nesse has extensive experience as a CEO in international leading companies, including six years as CEO of Skretting Group (part of Nutreco) and six years as CEO of Nutreco. Mr. Nesse has vast experience from board positions in several companies.

Mr. Nesse holds an MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH).

Mr Hembre was appointed as CEO in 2019, and have experience since 1997 in the salmon industry from various positions trough out the valuechain. Mr Hembre has a masters degree in Biology from NTNU in Trondheim.

Clément Ray biography: Clément is the CEO and co-founder of Innovafeed. Since 2016, he has led this innovative deeptech company. Before founding Innovafeed, Clément Ray was a project manager at McKinsey & Company, where he specialized in economic development in Europe and Africa, with a particular focus on agricultural growth. He holds a degree in applied mathematics from École Centrale Paris. Clément Ray biography: Clément is the CEO and co-founder of Innovafeed. Since 2016, he has led this innovative deeptech company. Before founding Innovafeed, Clément Ray was a project manager at McKinsey & Company, where he specialized in economic development in Europe and Africa, with a particular focus on agricultural growth. He holds a degree in applied mathematics from École Centrale Paris.

Commercial Engineer, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and MBA from ESE Business School.

Cristián Swett has extensive experience in the food industry, which began at Multiexport Foods in 2001. There, he held significant positions such as Deputy Commercial Manager in Japan, Manager of the Smoked Foods Division, and General Manager of Alimentos Multiexport. From 2012, he served as General Manager of the salmon farming company Ventisqueros.

In 2016, he became the General Manager of the multinational dairy company Manuka, while maintaining his role as a board member at Ventisqueros until February 2021, when he assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer of Multiexport Foods S.A.

Morten Hyldborg Jensen has worked a number of years in the whitefish industry, including as Head of Team Frozen Whitefish i Lerøy Seafood ASA (2017-2018), Sales and Marketing Director Primary Processing Norway Seafood AS (2010-2017), Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Aker Seafoods AS (2005-2010), Director Sales and Marketing Aker Seafoods AS (2002-2005) and Vice President Sales and Marketing Stolt Sea Farm AS (1998-2002). Morten is a board member of Norwegian Seafood Association (2021-). He has also held positions in board and committees at Norwegian Center of Expertice, Aquaculture 2008-2010), Marine Stewardship Council (20082017), Norwegian Seafood Council (2011-2017) and Norwegian Seafood Federation (2011-).

– CEO since October 2022 after joining Salmon Evolution as CFO in January 2021
– More than 15 years of seafood, business and capital markets experience
– Former positions include SVP at Hofseth International and investment banking at Swedbank/First Securities

Bjarni Larsen graduated as master in fisheries and aquaculture from UiT – Norges arktiske universitet in 2018 (Fiskerikandidat) and has taken specialization in aquaculture from the studies in Norway. Bjarni has several years of experience working in the freshwater phase with RAS before he was appointed as Farming Optimizer for Bakkafrost in 2019. In 2024 Bjarni took on the role as Head of Farming for the South division in the Faroe Islands, which has some of the most exposed sea sites in the Faroe Islands. As well as being Head of Farming, Bjarni still has key tasks for the seawater phase including developing new sites, new farming methods, trials, improving survivability, feed conversion rates, growth rates, reporting and analyzing data amongst other things.

Ian Carr leads Business Development at Veramaris, a pioneering company specialized in the production of omega-3 oil from fermented algae for the benefit of animals and people. With a strong passion for sustainable aquaculture, Ian brings extensive experience in aquafeed innovation, marketing, and sustainable development from his previous roles in the industry. He holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, and has also studied fish farming. Ian has given his career to advancing the future of aquaculture and believes in its potential to contribute significantly to global food security.

Lars Konrad has a degree in business administration. He previously worked as an equity analyst with responsibility for the seafood sector at Fearnley Securities and Carnegie.

Lars Konrad was involved in establishing Utror in November 2021.

Erling Kåre Stenevik Senior scientist, Institute of Marine Research (IMR) Erling Kåre Stenevik is a senior scientist in the Pelagic Fish research group at IMR. He has a PhD in fisheries biology from the University of Bergen and is responsible for the monitoring and advisory work on Norwegian spring-spawning herring at IMR.

Born and raised in Neskaupstaður, a fishing community in east Iceland.
Went to the University of Tromsö, where graduated with both Cand.nag and Cand.scient degree in Aquaculture, marine biochemy.
Wide experience in the seafood industry, been fisherman, in processing site, in company management, and sales and marketing.
Been with MSC since 2008 and current position is Program Director North Atlantic, which mean responsible for Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Island and Norway

Dave Robb is the Group Sustainability Lead for Cargill’s Aqua Nutrition businesses. With 20 years of experience in sustainability issues related to aqua feeds, he has a comprehensive understanding of various aspects such as supply chains, feed production, and how feeds can contribute to more sustainable farming. Robb leads the signature sustainability initiative SeaFurther® Sustainability, through which Cargill aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with its customers’ farming activities.

Enrico joined IFFO in 2009 to become Market Research Director in 2017. With 15 years of experience in the feed sector, Enrico is in charge of the market intelligence produced by IFFO, representing the industry within several international organisations including the OECD and the UN FAO. Enrico graduated from Cagliari University in Sardinia with a Political Science degree before obtaining an MSc in Financial Economics and a PhD in Industrial Economics from the University of Nottingham (UK).

With over 30 years of experience in the fishing and maritime industry, Viggo’s career spans roles as a fisherman, factory manager, and production director, with expertise in optimizing production methods, enhancing product quality, and leading innovative projects. Since 2020, he has played a key role in delivering innovative and effective onboard and onshore fish processing solutions to Optimar’s customers.

May 2015 – today, Seafood analyst, Nordea Nordea Bank Abp
2009 – 2015, Research Scientist, Nofima
2007 – 2009, Project Manager, Norwegian Seafood Federation

Based in Utrecht, Novel focuses on the seafood and aquaculture industry.
Novel brings a strong analytical background and private equity experience. In prior roles, he worked at Climate Fund Managers in The Hague and at Thomson Reuters in Hong Kong as a consultant focused on hedge funds and their investment strategies.
He holds a Master’s degree in International Finance from the Amsterdam Business School at the University of Amsterdam.

Drew Cherry is Editor with IntraFish Media. He joined the group in 2001, and has lived and worked in Norway, the UK and the US covering all aspects of the global seafood industry.

Tom is the Senior Director of Risk Management and Sourcing for Cargill’s Animal Nutrition and Health Enterprise (ANH) in EMEA and Cargill’s global salmon business. With a background in finance and accounting, Tom joined Cargill in 2009. He started his career in the UK, working in Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business, supplying feed ingredients & vegetable oils to the UK & Norwegian feed industries. Tom subsequently moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where he was part of the global trading team for Cargill Animal Nutrition. Most recently, he has been based in Bangkok, Thailand, for the past 2.5 years, overseeing risk management and sourcing for Cargill’s Animal and Aqua nutrition businesses in South East Asia. Tom’s extensive experience in risk management, sourcing, and trading, combined with his financial expertise, makes him a key leader in Cargill’s global operations. He is now relocating back to EMEA to continue driving success in the region.

Working as a Senior Analyst at Kontali for almost three decades, Jan Erik Øksenvåg’s focus is primarily on farmed salmonids, operations and leading EUMOFA projects and efforts. A major role as being “market expert“ for EUMOFA, has been linked to surveying and analysing global fisheries and markets for farmed and wild-caught seafood. Øksenvåg holds a bachelor’s degree in economy from NTNU in Trondheim. Since 2012, Øksenvåg has also held a position as board member at Kontali, alongside other appointed board positions in various companies.

Baldvin Thorsteinsson (born 1983) serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Samherji hf. and as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Alda Seafood Holding.

Previously, Mr. Thorsteinsson held the position of Chairman of the Board at Eimskip from 2018 to 2022. Eimskip is a leading transportation company in the North Atlantic, specializing in worldwide freight services. Before his tenure at Eimskip, he was the CEO of Iceland Drilling from 2013 to 2016 and served as the Managing Director of Business Development at Samherji in Iceland.

Mr. Thorsteinsson has held board positions at Iceland Drilling, where he was Chairman, and at Olís – Icelandic Oil. Furthermore, he serves on the boards of several companies where Alda Seafood is a shareholder.

Mr. Thorsteinsson holds a B.Sc. degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Iceland.

Konrad Geldenhuys started his career at Sea Harvest as Commercial Manager in 2009. From 2014 he managed the Sea Harvest Groups’ domestic and international sales channels and all aspects of brand management and marketing as Sales & Marketing Director. Konrad was appointed as Chief Operating Officer in 2022, overseeing all aspects of the value chain of Sea Harvest’s South African fishing operations, including fishing, processing and sales.

Morten is the acting cluster leader at NCE Aquatech Cluster and works as a Senior Manager at BDO Consulting. Morten has 25 years of experience in operations, project, and process management for both startups and production companies. He leads the national Slaughterhouse Network through NCE Aquatech Cluster and is heavily involved in cluster development and collaborative projects. Morten works with both national and international seafood clients on strategy, sustainability, and circular economy.

Ester Santigosa is currently leading the Aqua Innovation team at dsm-firmenich. The team supports the development of new products and solutions for the global aquaculture industry, whilst further buildingthe scientific evidence for the existing portfolio from dsm-firmenich.

After obtaining her PhD in fish digestive physiology at the University of Barcelona, Esterspent two years as a post-doc researcher at Ifremer (France), working on omega-3 fish metabolism. Ester joined DSM as AquaScientistin 2009 and during the last years has had a strong focus on the deliveryof sustainable solutions for the future of aquaculture. One example is Veramaris, where Ester supports R&D for the Veramaris business.On the protein side, Ester is leading the current research on Smart Protein solutions, the single cell protein project for Aquaculture from dsm-firmenich. Across the performance solutions portfolio, Ester has lead on the EFSA dossier submission for the latest generation phytase from dsm-firmenich (HiPhoriusTM) and also worked on the latest Optimum Vitamin Nutrition (OVNTM)guidelines for aquaculture species, which was published in 2023.

Jonathan LaRiviere is Chief Executive Officer of the ocean analytics group Scoot Science. Scoot Science helps fish farmers protect assets, operate sustainably, and increase profits through software that enables a more complete assessment of local ocean risks. Jonathan holds a PhD in Ocean Sciences from UCSC and has published original research in Nature, Nature Geoscience, Science, and Geophysical Research Letters, among other magazines.

Global Sales Director Marel Fish, Iceland.
Aquaculture Engineer by the Aquaculture Galician Institute.
Esade Business School
• Master degree in General Management
• International Business and Marketing.
• B2B Sales Management and Business Transformation for CEO´s

Experience
Expert in Fish Processing and aquaculture farming.
With more than 20 years of experience in the sector has inspired many companies around the globe to be more competitive, transforming the way seafood is processed.
•Acuinova (Pescanova Group) as Quality and Processing Manager
• Marel Spain & Portugal and Marel Latinoamérica as General Manager
• Marel Fish Industry, Global Sales & Marketing Director (2018)

Gaëtan FABRITIUS is Chief Business Officer at Bioceanor. With a background in Business & Information Technologies, Gaëtan spent about 15 years in the data industry, leveraging satellite and ocean data for downstream services in different vertical markets, including O&G and fisheries industries for example. Back in 2022 he decided to join forces with Charlotte & Samuel DUPONT, 2 marine biologists, to catapult Bioceanor Artificial Intelligence & biology capabilities into the aquaculture industry.

With a wealth of experience in the aquaculture equipment supply industry, Hans Owen combines solid expertise and a strong passion for advancing aquaculture. His deep knowledge of the industry, broad network, and commitment to innovation position him as a leading voice in developing new solutions for fish farming.

Michel is at the forefront of sustainable aquaculture as Protix’s dedicated Business Development Manager. Born and raised in the heart of a maritime community, Michel’s journey in the aquatic world has evolved into a personal mission: transforming aquaculture into a more sustainable and environmentally conscious industry. Since entering the field in 2010, Michel has strategically navigated various facets of the aquaculture industry, accumulating invaluable experience in research, farming, and nutrition. His diverse roles across hatcheries, research institutions, and aqua-feed companies have afforded him a comprehensive perspective on the industry’s intricacies. Educationally, Michel has a robust theoretical foundation obtained at Wageningen University. Here, he earned two master’s degrees, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of aquaculture and animal nutrition. Michel’s current position at Protix reflects his dedication to driving sustainability within the aquaculture industry. As the Business Development Manager, he plays a crucial role in navigating the intricate dynamics of the value chain, facilitating the translation of circular ingredients into innovative and sustainable seafood propositions. In essence, Michel acts as a bridge, connecting Protix’s cutting-edge solutions with the broader industry, catalyzing positive change.

Robin runs a global team of reporters providing news, analysis and commentary on seafood and aquaculture. An international journalist and newsroom leader, he joined IntraFish in January 2024 after nearly two decades with Reuters covering commodities, corporate affairs, politics and conflict in various locations. He spent seven years in the Soviet Union and developed a world-class, digitally enabled global news hub in Bangalore. He is currently based in London.

Olafur works as a researcher in the Fish Capture group at IMR. He is a fishing gear technologist and specializes in research and development of species and size selectivity, catch efficiency and catch control in fishing gears.

Deputy CEO at KAPP, a leading technology company that specializes in refrigeration services, machine building, import and service of equipment for the fishing industry, aquaculture and other industries. Former experience as Executive Vice President at Marel, a leading global provider of advanced processing systems and solutions to the seafood industry. Other experience includes business development, operational-, service- and product management.

Guro Møen Tveit currently works as a Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Fisheries and New Biomarine Industry at SINTEF Ocean in Bergen, Norway. Her main areas of expertise are handling and quality evaluation of fish in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. She has also been focusing on enzymatic hydrolysis of rest raw materials and quality. She also has extensive experience working with field experiments.

Marius brings valuable insights into integrating technology to enhance operations across the industry, based on extensive experience in the equipment supply sector for the land-based fishing industry, ocean-going fishing fleet, and aquaculture.

2015 to 2020 | Master of Science (Department of Biotechnology and Food Science) Education.
2021 to present | Master of Science (Fisheries and new biomarine industry) Employment.

Over the past few years, I have been in a leading management roles of high tech equipment providers with great success. I have enjoyed immensely good career and confidence, at the same time been involved in making Icelandic technology companies leading worldwide, Marel’s turnover grew from 10 out to about 800 million euros, and the number of employees from around 70 to over 4000 while I worked there. Skaginn 3X also had very impressive growth and market recognition during my time there. I have vast experience of international business, operational and project Management, Engineering as well as IT both hands on and as a manager of sales, service and development teams. Further to that I keep myself up to date on developments in management and have as such experience with Lean and Scrum Agile to name examples. I also have a strong technical background both in mechanics, electronics as well as vast hands on experience.

Véronique joined IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation in January 2019, bringing over 11 years of experience as Communications Director at the French division of a global water company. Prior to that, she served as a political advisor to local authorities. At IFFO, she leads the Secretariat of the Global Roundtable on Marine Ingredients and oversees stakeholder engagement.

Deirdre is driven by insights and expert subject matter. She is a strategic thinker and an effective communicator. In her role, Deirdre works to maintain the momentum and strong proposition that Aon holds in the FAB sector across EMEA & UK. She supports industry-focused colleagues and continues to drive a deep understanding of the industry issues that are top of mind for our clients, connecting these issues to Aon’s expertise and solutions. Deirdre focuses on creating industry insights, content, and capabilities across the regions, while looking ahead at how we can solve unmet client needs. Deirdre has been with Aon for three years, successfully leading the FAB industry vertical in Ireland. Prior to joining Aon, Deirdre spent eight years working in the Irish AgriFood industry in various policy, management, and leadership roles. She holds a degree in Human Nutrition from University College Dublin and a Master’s in Business Practice from the Irish Management Institute.

David Dietz currently serves as the Manager of Standards Oversight at the Global Seafood Alliance. He is responsible for guiding the development and revision of all Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Best Seafood Practices (BSP) certification standards, along with supporting and advocating for GSA’s strategic focus on third-party assurances overall. David holds a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University, focusing on seafood economics and supply chain sustainability. Prior to GSA, David managed the Economics Program for the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.

Sigrid Bratlie works at the intersection of science, communication, and policy in the field of biotechnology, spanning sectors such as medicine, industry, food systems, and environmental protection. She is currently a Senior Advisor at the Langsikt Policy Centre and a Strategic Advisor to the Norwegian Cancer Society. Previously, she has worked closely with Norwegian agriculture and aquaculture, serving as Project Leader at NCE Heidner Biocluster for bioeconomy and as a member of the GENEinnovate research consortium on genome editing. Sigrid has also worked for the Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board and was a member of Genteknologiutvalget, which delivered a Norwegian Official Report (NOU) to the government in 2023.

In addition to her professional roles, Sigrid is an active science communicator dedicated to raising public awareness about biotechnology’s potential to drive sustainable development and to advocating for evidence-based policymaking. She holds a degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Glasgow and Imperial College London, as well as a PhD from the Institute for Cancer Research at the Norwegian Radium Hospital, for which she was awarded the King’s Gold Medal.

Harald Takle joined Cermaq Group in 2017. Prior to this he worked about two years as a global fish health specialist in Mowi and 14 years as a research scientist in Nofima. In these years he also worked one year for the Chilean company AVS Chile. Harald hold a Dr. Scient degree from the Norwegian University of life sciences, NMBU

Torben Foss has spent most of his professional life in the seafood sector. He started his work in the public sector part of it and became Director General in the Ministry of Fisheries in 1990. He had his hands in the EEA-agreement, the veterinary “easy-access” to EU and the defence against dumping allegations in the salmonsector. 25 years were spent in PwC – as an employee and a partner – mainly building up seafood capacity in the organizations He is now a practicing lawyer.

Education: BA and ML in Law. I’ve held position as the CEO of Fisheries Iceland since August 2016. Fisheries Iceland was established in 2014 when the Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners and the Federation of Icelandic Fish Processing Plants merged. The association’s goal is to safeguard the interests of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Iceland. Worked as a Lawyer and Partner at LEX Law Offices in Reykjavik, Iceland, from 2006-2014.

Sigve Nordrum has been with Aker BioMarine, now Aker QRILL Company since 2007. He is responsible for the sales & marketing for krill products for the animal and aquaculture markets globally. Prior to joining the company, Sigve worked at BioMar and the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries. Sigve has a Master’s degree from the Norwegian School of Life Sciences and a PhD from the Norwegian Veterinary College.

Lars Erik Flatøy became part of the Kontali team in 2021, and is today Head of the analysis department, working in mainly all parts of the seafood value chain. Flatøy has a master’s from the Norwegian College of Fishery Science in Tromsø, working both in the aquaculture sector and oil and gas, and has experience as a quality manager and business consultant before joining Kontali. Flatøy is also a lead auditor within the ASC and MSC sustainability standards.

As CEO of GSSI, Øyvind Ihle brings extensive commecial leadership experience in seafood and marine ingredients. He championed innovation, health, and sustainability at BASF Omega-3, DSM/Veramaris, Avramar, and Zooca. With roots in FMCG, Øyvind has also led consultancy efforts to drive organic growth, innovation, and brand strategy.

José Estors Carballo is a Fisheries Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), where he leads the Blue Ports Initiative. His work centers on enhancing sustainable fisheries value chains, improving traceability, and building capacity among stakeholders worldwide. Before joining FAO, he served as an Exports Manager in the private sector, overseeing market expansion and product development across Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Holding a background in International Trade and Business Administration from institutions in Spain and the Netherlands, he has developed a comprehensive understanding of the fisheries and aquaculture value chain.

Nina Jensen is the CEO of REV Ocean and is a tireless champion for promoting environmentally responsible solutions for the world’s ocean. She started this position in 2018 after 15 years of positive impact in WWF-Norway (as Secretary-General since 2012). Nina holds a Master’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Fishery Science in Tromsø, and has a background in communications and marketing from Ogilvy&Mather. Nina is a board member of The Business for Peace Foundation, HUB Ocean, The Brain Tumour Association, Ocean Wise, Project Energy Reimagined, The Polytechnic Society (Polyteknisk forening) and KR Foundation. She was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2014. She is also on the Council for the Centre for the Ocean and Arctic, member of the steering committee for Friends of Ocean Action and an advisor to the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

With a background in civil engineering, Peter Burger has been in various technical and management positions in Fugro, the world’s leading geo-data company. Since last year he has been seconded by Fugro to the Ocean Decade Coordination unit of UNESCO-IOC in Paris as Data & Knowledge Management Officer. In this role he supports the UN Ocean Decade amongst others to improve access to private-sector data. He is coordinating the Ocean Decade Corporate Data Group, established by Fugro and UNESCO-IOC, that comprises leaders from private sector companies representing a wide variety of marine industries, including fisheries, energy, telecommunications and marine contractors. The private sector holds a vast reservoir of valuable ocean data and this working group focusses on the development of frameworks and mechanisms that will accelerate to unlock and facilitate public access to privately held ocean data.

Chris Shearlock works as Sustainability Director for Thai Union Europe covering multiple brands and private label customer requirements in Europe. He has worked in food sustainability for nearly 20 years having held positions with UK retailers and food manufacturers before specialising in ambient fish. He holds a degree in Environmental Management and a Masters degree in Strategic Marketing, is a full member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and a Chartered Environmentalist.

Ragnhild has worked in Aker BioMarine and now Aker Qrill Company since 2021 and is responsible for RnD and marketing of AQCs feed ingredients. She holds a PhD in chemistry and an MBA in sustainable innovation. She has previously worked as a research director in Nofima, and before that in academia and start-ups on various biotech platforms. Ragnhild has worked extensively with science funding and commercialization, she acts as a mentor for start-ups, participates in EU and national reference teams and holds board positions. Ragnhilds passion is contributing to the realization of sustainable food and feed systems for the future.

Sales Manager Fishing and Aquaculture, is a seasoned professional with 15 years of experience in the ship design industry. Since 2017, he has brought his expertise to the Fishing and Aquaculture sector worldwide in different roles in Skipsteknisk AS, currently as a Sales Manager. Vegard’s extensive background in ship design provides him with a unique perspective and deep understanding of the maritime industry, allowing him to excel in his current role.

Christine L. Larsen joined Salmon Group in January 2023 and heads the company’s procurement and sustainability efforts. She holds a postgraduate degree in International Business from the University of St. Andrews and has spent the majority of her career in the oil and gas industry. She is passionate about risk management, sustainability, human rights, and collaboration across the value chain. Salmon Group is a network of Norwegian, privately owned salmon and trout farmers. With a yearly volume of approximately 250 000 tonnes, feed is the company’s largest and most important procurement category. For over 20 years the company has managed its own feed recipe – the SG-feed – which is characterized by a low carbon footprint, high marine content, and utilization of novel ingredients.

Libby Woodhatch MSc, has worked for more than 20 years in the seafood supply chain and on standards development. Prior to becoming Executive Chair of MarinTrust, she was Head of Advocacy at Seafish, where her remit included the development of the Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS) standard and a wider programme in seafood ethics. Libby was CEO of industry body Seafood Scotland for ten years, where she helped improve the value of return to the Scottish seafood industry. During this time, she also sat on the MSC’s Stakeholder Council. Libby is a Trustee of the Fishermen’s Mission, which provides welfare and support to fishermen and their families.

Philipp is the managing director at Bonafide, leading the portfolio management and research team. Since joining in 2018, he has focused on integrating industry-specific insights with financial expertise across the entire value chain of the fish and seafood sector. Driven by a commitment to continuous learning, he prioritizes regular engagement with industry experts and conducts due diligence visits to seafood corporations worldwide. Beginning his career in banking in 2007, Philipp has held various roles that consistently placed him at the forefront of financial markets.

Paul was appointed as President & Chief Executive Officer in December 2023. Previous to that he served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, since February 2014. Prior to joining High Liner Foods in 2014, Paul was CFO with Sobeys Inc., a leading Canadian grocery and food distributor. He is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA) and began his career with Ernst & Young LLP providing audit, tax, valuation and business advisory services for a variety of clients in various business sectors. Prior to joining Sobeys Inc. in 2003, he held a number of progressively senior finance positions in the technology sector. Paul graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University. In 1997 he received his Chartered Accountant’s designation. He is also a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He is currently Treasurer of the Groundfish Forum, a member of the executive of the National Fisheries Institute, a board member of Norcod, and a board advisor to Andfjord Salmon. Paul is also Chair of Sport Nova Scotia and a member of the Advisory Board of FM Global Canada. Paul is an Honorary Governor of the Board of Governors of Acadia University, having completed a seven-year term as Chair of the Board. Paul is also past Chair of the Board of Governors of the Halifax Grammar School.

Dagny-Elise Anastassiou is a Norwegian-Cypriot PhD candidate in Marine Biology. She has applied her skills in marine research, conservation, and restoration projects in countries such as Belize, the Cayman Islands and Cuba. Dagny-Elise now uses her education and field experience to oversee Ava Ocean’s research and sustainability needs, both locally and internationally.

Seth McCurry is the Senior Commercial Manager for the UK & Ireland at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Oxford and spent three years running an aquaculture business in Southeast Asia before joining the MSC.

Christian Meinich joined Chr. Holtermann AS, Oslo, Norway in 1987 and is today Senior Partner in the company. Holtermann is an independent commodity brokerage house est. 1916, mainly brokering raw materials for the food- feed- and technical industries. Christian is also past president of FOSFA International, London, a contract issuing and arbitral body covering 85% of the global trade in oils and fats. Christian holds a BSBA degree in Finance from University of Denver, USA and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, USA.

Gertjan de Koning is the CEO of Veramaris, where he leads the company in producing and marketing sustainable EPA and DHA algal oil for aquafeed, pet food, and human nutrition. In 2010, Gertjan was instrumental in identifying Omega-3 as a strategic opportunity for DSM, leading to the acquisitions of Martek (algal oil) and Ocean Nutrition (fish oil). As DSM’s first Vice President of Nutritional Lipids, he played a pivotal role in the conception of Veramaris. After having had the global responsibility for DSM’s feed vitamins and pigments, late 2022 Gertjan returned to the Omega-3 space by stepping into the role of CEO of Veramaris. Over the past two years, he has guided the company from a startup to a well-established frontrunner in novel ingredients. His strategic leadership and his commitment to sustainability have significantly expanded Veramaris’ market presence, reinforcing its role in advancing global nutrition solutions.

Catarina Martins is the Chief Sustainability and Technology officer at Mowi ASA (Norway). Catarina coordinates the implementation of Mowi’s sustainability strategy, Leading the Blue Revolution Plan, which includes the vision of unlocking the potential of the oceans to provide healthy and sustainable food for a growing world population. In addition, she also leads the group’s innovation activities with a team of international experts on fish health and welfare, fish quality and processing, seawater and freshwater production technology and data analytics. Catarina has a PhD in Aquaculture from Wageningen University (The Netherlands), an MBA from The Norwegian School of Economics (Norway), an MSc in Marine Biology from the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and supplementary education on Corporate Sustainability from Harvard University (USA). Before starting at Mowi in 2013, Catarina hold several positions as senior researcher at Wageningen University, at the Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) in Portugal and at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria.