Bjørn-Erik Stabell brings more than 20 years' experience at the NSC.
Photo: NSC
The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) has appointed Bjørn-Erik Stabell as its new UK Director, succeeding Victoria Braathen, who has led the organisation’s UK marketing operations since September 2022. Stabell will now take on the role, which focuses on promoting Norwegian seafood across one of Norway’s most important export markets.
Stabell has worked with the NSC for more than 20 years, most recently as Head of Strategy and Sustainability, where he helped shape the council’s global sustainability policies and market development strategies.
His previous roles also include serving as NSC Director for Spain, where he oversaw local marketing campaigns, and Global Marketing Manager in Norway, where he was involved in developing the organisation’s whitefish marketing strategy. Earlier in his career, he gained experience in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) marketing while working at Procter & Gamble.
Speaking about his new job, Stabell noted, "The UK is a very important market for Norwegian seafood," adding, "Together with my local colleague Bojana Dos Santos, my good colleagues at the NSC in Tromsø and the Norwegian exporters, I am looking forward to embarking on such an exciting assignment as this. It will be fun to create something together with strong and skilled players in both Norway and the UK."
“I’m fortunate to follow in the footsteps of accomplished professionals who have held this role over the past three terms. Their work has laid a strong foundation we can continue to build on," Stabell continued.
Stabell said he intends to promote both traditional favourites and lesser-known species to UK consumers.
"My focus will be to highlight the benefits of Norwegian seafood – from the coveted favourites cod and haddock to emerging species making their way onto menus, such as Norwegian saithe," he added.
His first initiatives will include hosting an educational trip to Norway for UK hospitality stakeholders and a roundtable event with Seafood from Norway ambassador chef Michel Roux.
The NSC will also continue its sponsorship of the National Fish & Chip Awards, "celebrating outstanding businesses and individuals, and spotlighting the long-standing collaboration between the UK’s iconic dish and Norway’s greatest export," the organisation said.
This year, the NSC has appointed several new international marketing leads. In February, Karine Haraldsson was named the organisations' new "seafood envoy" to the US, while over the summer a further two new envoys were announced: Christine Iversen for Germany and Gudfinna Traustadottir for Portugal.
