Bergen, Norway-based Seafood People has bolstered their roster of management consultants with the additions of Andreas Solibakke, Karoline Hammersland, and Volker Kuntzsch.
Solibakke is a former finance and performance management consultant at Ernst & Young (EY), based in London, England. He also served as part of the firm’s Norwegian finance and performance management team and as a member of EY’s seafood team. He is currently a board member of YoungFish Vest, a Bergen-based networking organization for young seafood industry professionals.
“Transitioning to Seafood People will allow me to focus 100 percent of my efforts in developing an industry I have a deep connection to,” Solibakke said. “Fishing was the economic anchor in my community. I know firsthand the value-creation the industry has on a local and global scale.”
Hammersland previously worked as the global marketing manager for King Oscar, a part of the Thai Union Group. She has also served as a former senior consultant for the management consulting firm Karabin AS, and currently sits on the board of Scantrol and Scantrol Deep Vision, a software company focused on the marine and fishery sectors.
“I look forward to helping seafood companies navigate the consumer journey,” Hammersland said. “For those seeking to strengthen their brands and improve upon their product offerings, I can create strategic approaches to drive results.”
Volker Kuntzsch, who stepped down as CEO of New Zealand-based fishing firm Sanford in September 2020, and was recently named CEO of the Cawthron Institute, a research institute in Nelson, New Zealand, has also joined Seafood People. He will serve as part of the company’s global executive advisor network.
“Living in diverse environments from Japan to South Africa, I learned how to break down cultural barriers to achieve high levels of employee engagement. Developing trust and integrity are fundamental to realizing ambitious objectives and ensuring success through challenging circumstances,” Kuntzsch said. “I look forward to assisting other industry players to achieve the same.”
Seafood People is a specialty firm focusing on executive recruitment, strategy, analysis, project management, communication, and design for the seafood industry. The firm is headquartered in Bergen Norway, with advisors located in Chile, the U.K., the U.S., Germany, Singapore, and New Zealand.
Seafood People Managing Partner Thomas Bakke said the additions will strengthen his firm’s capabilities in strategy, analysis, project management, executive recruitment, communication, and design assistance for the seafood industry.
“Andreas and Karoline bring core expertise to our team. As we look to the future, they will be important assets in our journey to provide exceptional services to the seafood industry. I am thrilled to be working with them,” Bakke said. “As part of our strategic plan, Seafood People is expanding our global partnerships. By adding Volker to our network, we continue to bolster the industry resources we can offer. We admire his people-centric leadership style and are absolutely aligned with his value-driven mindset.”
Photo courtesy of Seafood People
