Stefan Paulsen Speaker

KIME

Drew Cherry SpeakerPresenting company

Independent

Christian Riber SpeakerPresenting company

CEO
Norcod AS

Graham Ellis Speaker

CEO
Regal Springs Tilapia

Morten Hyldborg Jensen SpeakerPresenting company

CEO
Nordic Group AS

Morten Hyldborg Jensen: A Danish-born seafood executive based in Oslo since 1994. With a career spanning Denmark, Germany, UK, and Norway, Morten's expertise ranges from farmed to whitefish species. Notable roles include leadership positions at Aquastar, Stolt Sea Farm, Aker Seafoods, and Lerøy. Morten's contributions extend to industry boards including the Norwegian Seafood Council and Norwegian Seafood Federation, and he currently serves as vice chair for the Norwegian Seafood Association. In 2018, Morten joined Insula as COO for Insula Whitefish and CEO for Nordic Group in Norway.

Ola Kvalheim SpeakerPresenting company

CEO
Ode AS

Tommy Torvanger Speaker

CEO
Nergård

Torill Fladvad SpeakerPresenting company

COO
Nordic Halibut AS

Dan Aherne SpeakerPresenting company

Group CEO
New England Seafood International

Having graduated with a BA in Modern Languages from Bristol University in 1999, Dan joined Unilever and worked in a series of Sales, Category and Marketing roles at Birds Eye Walls in the four years to 2003. Dan joined New England Seafood International (NESI), a fast emerging £17m fish business, In June 2003. He was appointed to run the business in 2005 and has led the development and significant growth of the NESI Group over the past two decades, combining a well-respected private label supply business, a progressive Foodservice business in Joii, and a growing consumer-branded proposition with Leap and Fish Said Fred. At the end of 2020 the ownership of NESI transitioned to Sealaska, an Alaska Native corporation owned by 25,000 shareholders who are blood line descendants of the Tlingit, Tsimshian and Haida tribes, the first settlers to the Americas some c12,000-14,000 years ago. Following acquisitions in Iceland and Norway in 2022 and 2023 respectively and now as the Global CEO of Sealaska’s c $350m Seafood division, part of the “Woocheen” umbrella of companies, Dan’s focus is increasingly on establishing a broader platform in both Europe and North America in order to realise the Groups vision of building a strong purpose led consumer and category leading Trans-Atlantic Seafood business.

Oda Kristin Igland SpeakerPresenting company

Head of Innovation and Business Development
Havland

Jan Erik Øksenvåg SpeakerSponsor

Senior Analyst
Kontali

Jan Erik Øksenvåg is a senior analyst specializing in the seafood sector with experience from salmon farming, fisheries, processing and marketing. He has dedicated over three decades to Kontali, refining his expertise. Since 2010, he has held a position as senior analyst in the EUMOFA project initiated and operated by the European Commission, focused on enhancing transparency in the EU seafood market. His fields of expertise include the anti-dumping trade instrument on farmed salmonids and BMR-operated seafood commodity indices. Jan Erik contributes actively to Kontali's and Analyse Invest's governance as a respected member of their Board of Directors.

Madoda Khumalo SpeakerPresenting company

Strategic Services Executive
Sea Harvest Group

Madoda Khumalo is an Executive within the South African fishing industry, with a strong background in scientific research and corporate management. Currently, employed at the Sea Harvest Group (“Sea Harvest”) in South Africa, he holds a key position responsible for implementing fishing related strategic initiatives within the business, including strategies to ensure the company's operations are environmentally and socially responsible, whilst also maintaining long-term profitability. Madoda completed his Bachelor of Science in Ocean Atmospheric Science and Environmental Management at the University of Cape Town and holds a Master of Science degree from the same institution. He has extensive knowledge in marine science with seagoing research experience obtained at various institutions. Madoda joined Sea Harvest as the Executive Assistant to the CEO in 2013. He became the Group Strategic Services Executive in 2015, responsible for Fishing licences; and overseeing Sustainability and Corporate Affairs for the Group. Madoda is on the Executive Committee for the South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA) and is a member of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Stakeholder Advisory Council.

Simon Smith SpeakerPresenting company

Vice Chairman
Sofina Foods (Europe)

Simon joined Youngs in 2019 following a decade at Seachill (Hilton Seafoods) after 30 years leadership positions at GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, (General Mills, Häagen-Dazs), and UK premium biscuit brand Fox's.

After joining the #2 UK seafood player Seachill in 2009, Simon became CEO in 2014 and there followed a consecutive 5 years of successful transformation and business growth, Simon led a successful sales process & Seachill was acquired by global business, Hilton Food Group in 2017.

In 2019, Simon joined 850 Food Group to lead the £1bn European Seafood Division, fronted by Youngs Seafood. In 2021 following a period of acquisition and transformation, the sale of the business to Sofina Foods Inc. was concluded, forming a new £4bn Global business. The Youngs / European Seafood business is the largest fish processor in Europe, Youngs is the 35th largest UK Grocery brand and the largest UK Seafood Brand. In June 2022 Simon was appointed to the NED role of Vice Chairman Sofina Foods Europe
Simon is Chair of the industry wide UK Seafood Federation representing over £4bn of UK Seafood sales with key focus areas of Trade and Policy, Skills, growing UK Seafood Consumption and environmental matters.
Alongside this, Simon is also a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, more commonly known as the Fishmongers’ Company, which is one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of the City of London, Deputy Chair of Charity CatZero and also a Founder Patron of Grimsby Horizon Youth Zone, part of the national Onside Youth Zone project.