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].
– Valderøya, Norway-based seafood processing technology company Optimar announced several new leadership positions to continue company growth and global scale.
The company appointed Petur Jakob Petursson to chief commercial officer (CCO), and Lárus Gunnarsson as the incoming director of commercial operations (DCO). Jannicke Valderhaug was appointed as the incoming chief marketing officer (CMO).
“Optimar is experiencing increasing demand for integrated solutions that combine efficient technology and fish welfare,” the company said in a release. “To support this development, the company is strengthening both its commercial leadership and operational sales capabilities.”
As CCO, Petursson will work on the company’s global commercial strategy, marketing positioning, and revenue growth. He joined Optimar in September 2024 as the director of sales for Asia and brings more than 20 years of experience in fisheries, seafood processing, aquaculture technology, and international business to business sales.
“The seafood industry is evolving rapidly, and our customers expect partners who understand the bigger picture,” Petursson said in a release. “By strengthening our commercial organization, we are better positioned to support customers with integrated solutions across the entire value chain.”
As DCO, Gunnarsson will help develop and strengthen the company’s commercial engine across markets and business segments. He came to Optimar after several years at Icelandic telecommunications company Síminn, working most recently as the director of business development and product management.
“Optimar has a unique position in the industry, combining deep process expertise with a broad portfolio of technologies and services,” Gunnarsson said in a release. “I look forward to building scalable commercial processes that help us grow even stronger globally.”
Valderhaug will help develop the brand and global marketing efforts as the new chief marketing officer. She’s worked at Optimar for the last year and a half as the marketing manager and then CCO.
“We are building a stronger commercial organization to support our long-term growth ambitions,” Optimar CEO Siggi Ólason said in the release. “With Petur, Lárus and Jannicke in these key positions, we are combining industry expertise, commercial excellence and brand development to create even greater value for our customers worldwide.”
– Santiago, Chile-based animal breeding, genetics, and technology company Hendrix Genetics hired Juan Pablo Barrales as the incoming global commercial director of the Salmonids Business Unit.
In this role, Barrales will handle the strategic management of all Landcatch and Troutlodge products and services across more than 65 countries. Prior to this promotion, Barrales served as the business development manager of Salmonids and Latam in Chile for eight months. Before Hendrix Genetics, Barrales was the part-time director of SalmonChile AG for three and a half years, and the managing director of Innovasea in Chile for just over five years. He’s also worked in sales manager positions for Pentair Water Quality Systems and Storvik.
“With a solid track record in the salmon industry and deep knowledge of the aquaculture market, Barrales brings over 25 years of experience across Chile’s aquaculture sector,” Hendrix Genetics said in a release. “During this time, he has held senior management roles within international companies, combining leadership and technical expertise across the aquaculture sector.”
– Mountain View, California, U.S.A.-based AI-powered solutions for aquaculture company Tidal announced Ingar Bergh as the new group chief financial officer.
“Applying cutting-edge Silicon Valley technology out of Google in the global aquaculture space, helping provide sustainable and healthy food production for a growing world population – this is a worthy cause to get up in the morning for,” Bergh said on LinkedIn.
As CFO of Tidal, Bergh will focus on the company’s financial practices while the company plans to scale globally by expanding to new markets, leading key strategic projects, and accelerate adoption of AI, robotics, and machine learning solutions.
“Tidal represents a rare combination of deep technology, strong market traction, and a significant global growth opportunity,” Bergh said in a release. “As the aquaculture industry increasingly adopts data-driven and autonomous solutions, Tidal is exceptionally well positioned to become a leading technology platform for the sector. I am excited to join the team at this stage of the journey and help build the financial and operational foundation required to scale the business globally.”
Bergh previously worked as an advisor and CFO of Oslo, Norway-based Capsol Technologies ASA for just under five years. Prior to that, he was a managing director and industry advisor of Oslo, Norway-based Marsoft for 9 years.
Tidal CEO Rajesh Jadhav said Bergh brings a “unique combination of finance leadership, capital markets expertise, and experience scaling technology companies through periods of rapid growth.”
