Former MSD Animal Health Norge MD Johan Kvalheim now at the helm of the biggest seafood business conference in the world.
In a press release today, the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) writes that Johan Kvalheim will, on 1 June, take up the position as Managing Director of the conference, replacing Jørgen J. Lund.
Originally from Måløy, Norway, Johan Kvalheim graduated from the Norwegian College of Fishery Science in Tromsø in 1997. He holds an MBA in International Business from the ENPC School of International Management in Paris. Johan worked almost 9 years for the seafood company Hallvard Lerøy AS in Bergen. From the position as Team Leader Central Europe in Lerøy, he took up the position as Director of France in the Norwegian Seafood Council in February 2007. Later, the area was also extended to the UK. During this period, Kvalheim was responsible for all generic promotion of Norwegian seafood in these important Norwegian seafood markets.
In 2013, Kvalheim became Managing Director of MSD Animal Health Norge AS in Bergen, Norway’s largest veterinary medicine company. The company develops and sells, among other products, multi-component vaccines for salmon. In 2018, Kvalheim established the seafood export company Star Seafood AS together with three partners, with offices both in Måløy and Bergen. He will work for Star Seafood until end of May. On 1 June he will take on the position as Managing Director of NASF, North Atlantic Seafood Forum.
In a transition phase, Kvalheim will work with the current Managing Director, Jørgen J. Lund to ensure a good continuity and quality of the conference, which for the 15th time will take place 3-5 March, 2020. Kvalheim will establish a NASF office in Bergen, Norway.
NASF is today the biggest seafood business conference in the world, with around 850 delegates from 35 countries and 300 companies. The NASF focus on salmon, white fish, pelagic and processing, in addition to innovation, sustainability, politics, regulatory frameworks and investment opportunities within the industry.
