To keep up to date with the latest personnel changes across the seafood industry, SeafoodSource is compiling a regular round-up of hiring announcements and other personnel-related shifts worldwide. If you have an announcement, please send it to [email protected].
– Bergen, Norway-based marine biotech company Biomega has announced the appointment of Geir Olav Melingen to the role of managing director, effective fall 2025.
Board Chair Sten Estrup said Melingen’s “extensive international experience and proven track record of business transformation make him the ideal fit [for] Biomega.”
“Melingen’s deep knowledge of the aquaculture industry, his commercial acumen, and people-centric leadership philosophy align perfectly with Biomega’s values and vision. We are confident that under his guidance, Biomega will continue to strengthen its position as a leader in sustainable ingredients,” Estrup said.
Melingen said that he was honored by the appointment to “a company at the forefront of sustainable biotechnology.”
“There is tremendous potential at Biomega, and what excites me about leading this company is the opportunity to drive its next phase of growth while continuing to innovate premium, sustainable products for our customers and partners," he said. "I look forward to working with Biomega’s talented team to build on the strong foundation and take the company to new heights.”
Melingen holds a doctorate in fish health and is a longtime aquaculture and biotech sector veteran who, until recently, served as CEO of Benchmark Genetics. Prior to rising to the role of CEO, he served as the commercial director of the company’s salmon division.
– Anders Fosse has left his role as supply chain director at King Oscar and, like Melingen, will also be joining Biomega as the firm’s new commercial director.
Fosse announced that he was leaving sardine firm King Oscar, a Thai Union-owned brand, after 12 years. At King Oscar, Fosse rose from a sales representative to the role of supply chain director over his tenure.
In a LinkedIn post sharing the news of his departure, Fosse said that he was proud of his work growing the brand and expanding the U.S. market for King Oscar, among other things.
“A defining part of this journey was moving with my family from Norway to the U.S. – a bold and life-changing decision that brought both personal and professional growth on a whole new level," he said. "I’ve learned more than I ever imagined, thanks to the incredible teams I’ve worked with and the opportunities I’ve been given.”
– In the wake of the 4 September announcement that The Kingfish Company would stop selling fresh products in the U.S., Christa Ingalls-McVey, the company’s U.S. sales lead, has announced her departure.
“Recently, The Kingfish Company has announced that with the current economic climate ... they have made the decision to withdraw their fresh product offerings at the end of September from the U.S. for the foreseeable future and that, unfortunately, my position will be redundant in the coming months,” Ingalls-McVey said in a LinkedIn post sharing the news. “I had an amazing time building this program, and I am sad to see it paused, but I understand the need to be profitable. That wasn’t going to happen given the current economics."
Ingalls-McVey began her career in seafood sales at Pacific Seafood in 1990 and has served in sales and leadership roles at Phillips Foods, Cannon Fish Company, Regal Springs Tilapia, Pacifico Aquaculture, Forever Oceans, and The Kingfish Company. She is also the owner of a consulting company, Fishmongergal, which offers firms support in improving their sales operations.
