KJERSTI KLEVEN APPOINTED AS NEW CHAIR OF SEA EUROPE

30.6.2017

At the General Assembly meeting of SEA Europe in Vigo (Spain) on 23 June 2017, SEA Europe appointed Ms. Kjersti Kleven as the association’s new Chair for a period of two years, starting on 1 July 2017. Kjersti Kleven is co-owner and Chair of the Board of the Norwegian shipbuilding group Kleven Maritime AS (KLEVEN). KLEVEN operates two shipyards, with around 700 employees, the largest privately owned shipyard-group in Norway. To cope with the consequences of the downturn in the oil and gas-sector, KLEVEN has managed to diverge into other markets, such as fish-farming, cable-laying and passenger vessels.

Kjersti Kleven has served as a board-member and Chair of the Norwegian Association of Maritime Industries for a total of seven years, and was one of the Vice Chairmen of SEA Europe until she takes over as chair. She is a board-member of various companies, and is also a member of the standing Advisory Committee on Maritime Strategy, hosted by the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry. Ms. Kleven holds a degree in Sociology from the University of Oslo.

“I am very grateful with this assignment as Chair and I look forward to serving SEA Europe and the European maritime technology sector through interesting, but challenging times”, Ms Kleven said. “European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers consist of 300 shipyards and more than 22.000 maritime equipment manufacturers of all sizes. Together they employ more than 900,000 people in Europe. But, equally important are the products that this industry builds or produces: very complex ship types with sophisticated equipment that assists the industry in meeting the highest safety and environmental standards. This makes our sector economically and strategically very important for Europe, its economy and citizens”, she said. “The next years will be crucial for our industry and will determine whether we will remain in business, be able to meet our challenges and be able to exploit the full potential of upcoming opportunities. I want to cooperate closely with the EU decision-makers and relevant stakeholders to help the European maritime technology industry to meet its challenges”, Ms. Kleven concluded.

At the same General Assembly meeting, SEA Europe also appointed the following new Vice Chairs: Bernard Meyer (Managing Partner Meyer Werft), Kjeld Dittmann (Managing Director, Wärtsilä Lyngsø Marine A/S), Hervé Guillou (Chairman & CEO Naval Group), Kees-Jan Mes (Vice-President Marine, Pon Equipment and Pon Power B.V.), Dirk Lehmann (Managing Director Becker Marine Systems), and Juan Luis Sánchez (SEA SMRC Chairman and Director Astander).
 

For further information please visit www.seaeurope.eu or contact:

Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General, ct@seaeurope.eu
Tel: +32 2 230 3287