"A huge reponsibility": Royal Greenland's new CEO takes the helm

Seafood giant Royal Greenland’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Toke Binzer, has now formally stepped into the position, with 1 December marking his first day leading the company.

"Royal Greenland is Greenland’s largest and most influential company. If things go well for Royal Greenland, they go well for Greenland - and vice versa. That’s a huge responsibility, because it depends on us as a company to secure a significant part of the country’s economy. I look forward to taking on that task and responsibility together with the rest of the employees - both in Greenland and globally", Binzer said as he assumed the role.

Although new to the CEO post, Binzer is already a familiar figure in Greenland’s business community. His background combines leadership roles at IBM and TDC with a strong understanding of Greenlandic society and the company’s significance within it, according to Royal Greenland. Most recently, he was CEO of Greenlandic postal and telecommunications company Tusass.

Chair of the Board Niels Thomsen said this experience makes him well placed to guide Royal Greenland’s next phase.

“Toke has worked at the intersection of strategy, operations and people – experience that will be valuable in Royal Greenland’s continued development,” Thomsen said.

“He has a strong sense of the bigger picture and of the people who make it all work. That’s essential in a company like ours, where we operate across a wide geographic and cultural landscape,” he added.

Royal Greenland, which is owned by the Government of Greenland, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of cold-water prawns, Greenland halibut and other Arctic species, and operates an integrated value chain that includes harvesting, processing and global sales.

The company runs production facilities and processing plants throughout Greenland, as well as in Europe, North America and Asia. It is also one of Greenland’s most significant employers and a major contributor to the national economy through its purchasing of raw material from coastal fishers, local processing activity and export revenues.

In the months ahead, Binzer said he plans to visit Royal Greenland facilities around the world to meet employees and gain direct insight into its operations.