Atle Eide steps down as Executive Chairman of Nordic Aqua.
Atle Eide has announced his decision to step down as Executive Chairman of Nordic Aqua Partners, marking the end of a chapter in the development of the company’s land-based salmon operations in China.
In a statement published on LinkedIn, Eide said the time was right to transition after several demanding years in the role.
“It has been an honor to serve as Executive Chairman through these defining years. At the same time, the role has been demanding and all-consuming,” he wrote. “With retirement age now behind me, this is the right moment to step down. I have, some time ago – informed the Nomination Committee of my decision.”
Eide praised the leadership of CEO Ragnar Joensen and the wider team for building what he described as a “state-of-the-art Akva Group facility” capable of producing premium Atlantic salmon in Ningbo, China. The company is now targeting an average harvest weight of 7 kg and an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes.
A seasoned executive in the aquaculture sector, Eide previously served as CEO of Marine Harvest (now Mowi) from 2003 to 2007. He has held a number of senior roles across the seafood and investment sectors, including at SalMar, Pan Fish, and private equity firm HitecVision. He has also chaired the boards of SalMar Aker Ocean and Benchmark Holdings.
Eide said he would now focus on his own investments, selected board positions, and mentoring technology-focused start-ups, while continuing to reflect on the future direction of the aquaculture industry.
“It has been a profound learning experience—to be part of this journey over the past few years,” he wrote.