Aker Solutions has hired Kjerstin Kleyne Braaten as Senior Vice President of Aquaculture, which is one of the growth areas for the company. Braaten has broad industry experience and will cooperate closely with potential customers and other partners to develop new solutions for the large projects which are expected to be sanctioned in the future.
For many years, Aker Solutions has been one of the world’s leading suppliers of complete facilities for oil and gas production. The company is increasingly involved in the development and delivery of solutions for renewable energy, for example offshore wind. In recent years, delivery of aquaculture facilities for the ocean and open waters has been targeted as a strategic opportunity. In this sector the company can contribute with both its own established experience and simultaneously contribute to developing new solutions which are more sustainable, and which give better conditions for fish health and growth.
“We see that many customers are planning new aquaculture projects and we expect that some of these will start up with construction of facilities the next 12 months. Looking further ahead there are potentially a significant number of projects and an exciting growth for this industry. We think this gives opportunities to develop new industrial projects in Norway and in selected areas globally,” said Kjerstin Kleyne Braaten, newly appointed SVP and Head of Aker Solutions’ Aquaculture business.
Aker Solutions has worked together with leading aquaculture producers for concept development and design for aquaculture facilities over several years. In 2021, the company’s yard in Verdal was responsible for assembling two large sea cages for the manufacturer Norway Royal Salmon, having already delivered the design of this facility.
Braaten reports to Executive Vice President Stephen Bull. He is head of Aker Solutions' Renewables business segment, which also finds solutions for renewable energy and other sustainable businesses.
“Both within aquaculture and in other sustainable industries we see that there must be development of better solutions which are both environmentally friendly and financially sound investment decisions. We come up with such solutions when we work with producers. We go a step further from the traditional customer-supplier relationship and create a form of collaboration where we are partners towards a common goal. Together, we can achieve the goals of good fish welfare, reducing impact on the environment, increasing food supply, creating jobs and increasing value creation for both producers and society. We are very happy to have Kjerstin on the team as head of this initiative," said Bull.
“Creating good solutions for aquaculture is very much about the interplay cooperation between experts and different specialists, and the ability to cooperate for a shared new goal. It is not the technology which controls the biology, but biology which controls technology. We will contribute with our knowledge to make aquaculture a new industrial adventure, even bigger than the fantastic starting point that is already there. We are in the initial phase of several possible prospects, and there may be important contract opportunities already within the next 12 months," said Braaten.
Braaten has previously held a range of key management positions, both within subsea solutions at TechnipFMC and within maritime industry and ship technology at Kongsberg Maritime. During her career, she has worked abroad in Singapore and Brazil, and holds an MSc in biotechnology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim.
"I care about the environment, and I care about people. Aquaculture facilities in more exposed waters are an important opportunity for Norway to succeed in creating new industry and growth. The aquaculture industry has for many decades contributed with great value creation. We have an opportunity to maximize value creation from the industry by establishing a solid supplier industry with major ripple effects in Norway," said Braaten.