Foto: Elisabeth Tønnessen
Norled Appoints New CEO Heidi Wolden
Norled, one of the largest ferry and express company in Norway announces the appointment of a new CEO, Heidi Wolden. She succeeds Ingvald Løyning who stepped down from the role of CEO in February.
Wolden will join Norled on the 1st of May from Kruse Smith, a contractor and property developer company, where she has been CEO since 2017. Previously she worked at Equinor for more than 20 years where she has held a number of leadership roles along large parts of the oil and gas value chain, primarily in strategy development, business development and financial management. Wolden has experience working with both international and Norwegian operators.
Norled is one of the Norway’s largest ferry companies and the world's fifth largest speedboat company, with business backed by long-term contracts with public transport authorities. Norled employs over 1,000 people, operates more than 80 vessels, and is a leader in innovative and environmentally friendly transportation, winning several recent contracts to develop hybrid / battery-driven vessels and the first hydrogen electric ferry.
In May 2019, the company was sold to CBRE Caledon Capital Management and CapMan Infra.
“We are very pleased that Heidi has agreed to lead the company and welcome her to the team. With the financial backing of our new owners, Heidi has the attributes we are looking for in a leader to further develop the company in line with our business and investment plans and ensuring that Norled remains at the forefront of driving the sustainability agenda in the ferry and express boat industry” commented Elisabeth Grieg, chair of the board of Norled.
She added: “Heidi has the experience and necessary business understanding required in Norled's competition-intensive industry. Throughout her time at Kruse Smith, she has also proven to be a very capable, actionable and change-oriented leader. Combined with her personal leadership skills, I am confident that she will contribute to making Norled an even more well-run, profitable and sustainable company in the future.”
Heidi Wolden added: “This is a very exciting opportunity and I am thrilled to be leading a pioneer-company for the green shift within the maritime sector. Norled is investing significantly in the green transformation within the ferry and express boat industry, and I am looking forward to working with a board and owners who have a strong environmental commitment combined with clear expectations for business growth.”
Norled, founded in 1855, has marked itself as a shipping company constantly seeking new environmentally friendly solutions. In 2015, Norled introduced the first electric ferry MF «Ampere», and the ferry has been the precursor to the significant number of electric zero-emission ferries in Norway. Today, the company is working on developing the world's first hydrogen ferry for cars, as well as participating in a collaborative project to develop the world's first express boat operated on hydrogen. The use of hydrogen as fuel allows vessels to sail emission-free over longer distances than what electrically powered vessels can today.
For more information contact:
Heidi Wolden on telephone: 906 14 375
