Norwegian classification society DNV GL has appointed Kjetil Ebbesberg to replace Thomas Vogth-Eriksen as chief financial officer.
Veteran Vogth-Eriksen, who oversaw the merger with Germanischer Lloyd in 2013, will become director of the certification division in the society's business assurance unit.
Ebbesberg will join DNV GL on 1 April and take up the group CFO position on 1 July.
The new man comes from the position as executive vice president (EVP) at aluminium producer Hydro Rolled Products.
He has been at that company since 1996, holding positions including CFO of Metal Products, head of Foundry Alloys and EVP of Metal Markets.
Ebbesberg has also been a member of Hydro’s corporate management board for eight years.
He has a master’s degree in business economics from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) in Bergen.
Solid background
"I am very pleased to have Kjetil joining DNV GL. He has a strong financial background coupled with solid operational leadership experience from global businesses — based in Norway, Switzerland, and recently five years in Germany," said Remi Eriksen, the class society's chief executive.
"I believe Kjetil has the perfect combination of experience and skills needed to drive financial performance across the group as we move into a new strategy period."
Eriksen also thanked Vogth-Eriksen for his "outstanding job"as CFO.
"In particular, he has been instrumental in the merger between DNV and GL, contributing to forming our current strategy, and building our strong financial position during turbulent times.”
This has already been a busy week for DNV GL, which announced on Monday it is breaking into the venture capital arena with the launch of a fund to provide seed capital for maritime and energy start-ups.
Over the next four years, DNV GL Ventures plans to take stakes of up to 20% in 15 to 20 outfits that are tackling digitalisation and decarbonisation.
In its own version of the reality TV show Dragons’ Den — familiar to US viewers as Shark Tank — in which entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists to try to secure investment, DNV GL Ventures is inviting start-ups to send in 90-second video clips outlining their ideas.
Kaare Helle, who has worked on digitalisation and innovation at DNV GL for five years, is heading the outfit as venture director.
