To keep up to date with the latest personnel changes across the seafood industry, SeafoodSource is compiling a regular round-up of hiring announcements and other personnel-related shifts worldwide. If you have an announcement, please send it to [email protected].
- Pablo Trapunsky, the CEO of Lima, Peru-headquartered anchoveta fishing and processing firm Pesquera Diamante, announced his resignation, effective by the end of June.
Trapunsky has been with the company for six years, according to his LinkedIn.
“One can argue up to what level of each of [our] objectives had been achieved, but certainly, the company is far more agile and profitable than it was when I joined,” Trapunsky wrote on LinkedIn. “The fishing and seafood world is indeed my passion, and so, I’ve enjoyed every single minute spent on duty with great people eager to improve, learn, and team up to create value. There’re plenty of amazing experiences and landmarks, memories, and situations that placed us as one of the most important players of the Peruvian fishing industry.”
- The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) appointed Øyvind Ihle as its new CEO.
Ihle brings an extensive background in the Norwegian seafood sector to the new role, having worked for the past decade to promote health and sustainability in seafood value chains, inlcuding in such roles as chief marketing officer at Spain-based food and beverage manufacturing firm Avramar.
“I have experienced the power of GSSI firsthand, adding tremendous value to us at Avramar,” Ihle said in a release. “They significantly elevated our sustainability efforts, enhanced our value proposition, and opened up new avenues for business growth. GSSI now has the chance to catalyze sustainability advancements throughout the industry, empowering others to achieve the same transformative impact we've witnessed at Avramar. I’m also humbled by the talent and level of dedication in the team, which bodes well for bringing us closer to our vision of more sustainable seafood for everyone."
He also currently serves as a board member at Zooca, a company which focuses on using zooplankton for feed and nutraceutical purposes.
- High Liner Foods has named Darryl Bergman as CFO, effective 22 July.
Bergman brings more than 25 years of executive-level financial experience to High Liner Foods, most recently serving as CFO of Clearwater Seafoods.
"We are very pleased to welcome Darryl to High Liner Foods. Darryl brings decades of global financial experience to the team, including as a public company CFO, which will be invaluable to us as we continue to execute our strategy and pursue our purpose of Reimaging Seafood to Nourish Life," High Liner Foods CEO and President Paul Jewer said in a release. "Darryl's deep experience across all areas of finance, as well as in seafood and food manufacturing, will serve us very well as we continue to implement our ambitious growth agenda."
Bergman will be replacing Deepak Bhandari, who served as the company's interim CFO since January 2024.
"I am honored to join High Liner Foods as their next CFO," Bergman said. "This is an exciting time for the company, and I look forward to working with Paul and the talented team here to build on the company's strong financial foundation, drive sustainable growth, and create long-term value for all our shareholders and stakeholders. Together, we will navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead with a focus on growth, innovation, and operational excellence."
- New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based seafood wholesaler Northern Wind has appointed Mike Hollis as its executive vice president of sales. Hollis brings more than 30 years of experience in seafood sales and marketing to the new role.
“I am thrilled to become part of the Northern Wind,” Hollis said in a release. “The company’s excellent reputation is well-known, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of continuing this legacy of excellence and helping drive accelerated, profitable growth”.
- Leknes, Norway-based aquaculture service and fish health company STIM has appointed Ivar Kramer as its key account manager. According to his LinkedIn, Kramer began the role in June.
“STIM is an incredibly exciting company and, in many ways, the locomotive of biologically oriented innovation in the aquaculture industry,” STIM wrote on its LinkedIn. “Welcome, Ivar, this will be incredibly fun.”
- Proximar Seafood has named Yasumitsu Himeno as its corporate development director. Himeno brings more than 30 years of experience in the finance sector to the role and will be stepping down from the company’s board of directors before starting the new job, the company said in a release.
Since 2021, Himeno has been working for a family-owned company based in Japan and has previously worked with companies including Sojitz, Glencore, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, The World Bank Group, and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank.
- Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada-based aquaculture design and technology company PR Aqua ULC has appointed Ian Race as general manager.
Race has been with the company since August 2019 as a product and sales manager, according to his LinkedIn.
- Judaberg, Norway-based aquaculture company Urchinomics has appointed Mawae Morton as a senior advisor and non-executive chair for New Zealand.
Morton will work with Urchinomics in-country lead Maru Samuels to develop urchin-ranching operations using Urchinomics' proprietary system, addressing the issue of kina, or urchin, barrens in the region, which are areas dominated by urchins that don't allow species such as kelp to grow.
"The opportunity to work with Urchinomics to develop local partnerships providing high-quality food products to the world with a sustainable solution for the environmental challenge presented by kina barrens in Aotearoa [New Zealand] is very exciting,” Morton said in a release. “I look forward to being a small part of this remarkable global initiative and team while striving to generate additional local benefits around job creation, economic development, and restoring our ocean’s biodiversity.”
Morton, based in both Hawaii and New Zealand, brings a background in international investment, advisory, governance, and aquaculture operations to the new role.
“Mawae’s appointment comes at a crucial time as we scale our efforts in Aotearoa and deepen our commitment to the communities and ecosystems we serve,” Urchinomics CEO Perry Bevin said. “His expertise in strategic thinking and profound understanding of the urgent issues caused by kina barrens will be invaluable as we begin scaling our activities.”
