Sigurdur Òlason will lead Optimar.
Norwegian processing technology provider Optimar, recently acquired by Kaldbakur, an investment firm owned by Icelandic company Samherji, has announced Sigurdur Ólason as its new CEO.
With a background in industrial mechanics and computer science, along with an MBA in finance and entrepreneurship, Ólason brings extensive experience to the role.
Having previously worked in leadership positions at Marel, he now takes over as CEO of Optimar, focusing on innovation and technology to drive growth in the seafood industry.
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“Before I started university, I worked as a fisherman on one of Samherji’s boats for two years,” says Òlason.
“I then completed an MBA, before the road led me back to Samherji where it all began.”
After six new years in Samherji, Òlason was employed as managing director in the fisheries division of Marel for six years, before he has worked in recent years in a startup focusing on energy conversion in the fishing and cargo fleet in Iceland.
“Innovation, technology and artificial intelligence are something I am interested in and which I see as absolutely crucial for the future of today’s companies.”
Based in Valderøya, Norway, Optimar also has facilities in the USA, Spain, and Romania. The company employs 260 people globally.
