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].
– Millinocket, Maine, U.S.A.-based salmon-farming firm Great Northern Salmon (GNS) has added Bjarne Tellmann and David Kelly to its board of directors, citing the duo’s vast experience and knowledge both within the seafood industry and in various other roles.
“Tellmann brings broad international legal and commercial expertise to our company, and Kelly brings extensive industry knowledge from the U.S. and beyond,” GNS Chairman Erik Heim said. “We know both well and are excited to see them join an important journey in U.S. seafood.”
Tellmann currently works as the CEO of legal consultancy firm FjordStream Advisors and as a senior visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. He has served in several advisory roles in a variety of industries, including at such firms as Coca-Cola. He also brings some seafood industry experience to the new role, as he served as a non-executive director at Norwegian salmon-farming firm Mowi from 2020 to 2022.
“Great Northern combines strong capabilities in both the U.S. and Norway, which resonates with me personally because of my connections to both countries,” Tellmann said. “Having previously served on the Mowi board, I’m excited to return to the seafood industry, especially with a company so well-positioned in the U.S. market.”
Kelly currently works as an advisor to aquaculture impact investment fund Cuna del Mar and formerly held the CEO and CTO titles at Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based aquaculture technology firm Innovasea for nine years. During those nine years, Innovasea evolved from strictly a U.S.-based supplier of fish-farming equipment into a global aquaculture technology firm, serving operations in Canada, Norway, Chile, Greece, and Australia. Other prior roles Kelly has held include his time as president and CEO of Bluefin Robotics, a company that provides autonomous underwater vehicles and related marine robotics technology.
“I have followed the U.S. segment as CEO at Innovasea for many years. It is time we see some impactful progress in U.S. aquaculture,” Kelly said. “I believe Great Northern is in a good position, and I look forward to contributing to its development.”
GNS’ three existing board members were also reelected to serve another term, including William Ginn, who is the former chief conservation officer of environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservatory and founded the NGO’s USD 3 billion (EUR 2.6 billion) impact investment arm NatureVest.
GNS CEO Marianne Naess was also reelected to her position as board director, alongside Executive Chair Erik Heim. Heim and Naess co-founded Xcelerate Aqua in 2022, which eventually became GNS.
According to Naess, the company has recently finalized several highly impactful contracts as it moves toward construction on its large-scale, land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Millinocket. In 2026, the company plans to undergo two major capital funding rounds while also planning to reach a debt agreement with a central U.S. bank.
The firm also announced it has changed RAS vendors for its Millinocket operation but did not disclose more details.
“GNS management has collaborated with several RAS vendors during its due diligence and development processes,” Naess said. “We believe finding the right fit is crucial for our success. This month, we changed RAS vendors to someone we are confident is the best match for GNS. When choosing a vendor, our priorities include financial stability, strong reference cases, alignment between production goals and technology, and a good cultural fit.”
– Johannes Korf has been named the managing director of Norwegian Seafood Group’s Europe division, effective 1 January 2026.
The appointment comes after Korf has held multiple positions within Norwegian Seafood Group, including production, sales support, account management, and leading U.S. operations. Most recently, he’s worked as head of sales.
As managing director, Korf will take full profit and loss (P&L) responsibility of Norwegian Seafood Europe, making him accountable for the business’s financial success by managing revenues, cutting costs, and overseeing budgets. Specific to Norwegian Seafood Europe, Korf will look to optimize value-added operations, strengthen market positions, and drive sustainable growth for the company.
– Steve Murrells has stepped down as CEO of U.K. food packaging company Hilton Food Group after serving in the role for over two years.
Murrells took the role in July 2023 after former CEO Philip Heffer left the firm.
Murrells said the decision to resign was mutual and that “now is the right time to search for a new leader to take the business forward.” Murrells will remain on Hilton’s board until the end of December to provide transitional support.
“Hilton Foods is a great business, and I have been privileged to serve as its CEO,” Murrells said. “I'm particularly proud of the progress we have made in significantly expanding our international operations, most notably the expansion into Canada and Saudi Arabia.”
In 2023, Murrells manned the helm as Hilton Food announced its first manufacturing plant in Canada, as well as a protein supply deal with Walmart for beef, lamb, pork, and seafood. In 2024, he aided in plans to expand globally to Australia and Southeast Asia. Other new projects instituted during Murrells’ tenure included a joint venture with the National Agricultural Development Company (NADEC) in Saudi Arabia, marking the firm’s first Middle East meat supply deal.
Chairman Mark Allen will serve as an interim executive during the transition, and Hilton Food Group said in a statement that the board is considering CEO succession plans.
Murrells’ departure comes after the firm downgraded its 2025 profit forecast in November, citing a “difficult” outlook for 2026, as well.
“Given the emerging impact on demand from ongoing inflationary pressures and the continued disruption at [seafood subsidiary] Foppen, the board has become more cautious on the trading outlook for 2026 and, as such, expects profit progression in the next financial year to be difficult,” Hilton Foods wrote in a statement.
