Gro Skaar Knutsen has served on the Andfjord Salmon board since 2021.
Photo: Andfjord Salmon
Norwegian aquaculture company Andfjord Salmon has announced that experienced construction industry executive Gro Skaar Knutsen is leaving its board of directors to take up a senior operational role overseeing construction work at the company’s major development site in Kvalnes, Andøya.
The company said Knutsen’s extensive background in the building sector will be vital to advancing its next phase of infrastructure growth. Following her departure as CEO of construction firm Peab Bjørn Bygg in 2024, Knutsen has been working with Andfjord Salmon as an external consultant and has gradually deepened her involvement, according to the company.
In her new position, she will lead initiatives to improve efficiency and strengthen coordination across the construction process. According to a press release from Andfjord Salmon, her focus will include achieving “repeatability effects” in the production of pools to ensure consistency, cost optimisation and continuous improvement in future expansion stages.
Knutsen brings decades of experience in engineering and construction management, having previously led one of Northern Norway’s largest construction companies and held senior roles with Sweco, one of Europe's leading architecture and engineering consultancies.
CEO Martin Rasmussen said: “We are delighted that Gro has chosen to take on a more hands-on role in our operations. Her proven track record in large-scale construction projects and strong leadership skills will significantly strengthen our ability to execute on our growth strategy at Kvalnes.”
The Norwegian aquaculture firm recently announced the successful release of around 350,000 smolt at its land-based facility in Kvalnes, Andøy, marking the start of what the company described as a significant expansion of its fish farming operations.
Andfjord Salmon’s last production cycle ended in June 2023. Since then, it has been developing new pools, harbour facilities, and waterways to support large-scale farming, and announced a revised build-out plan that would see it increase production capacity by 20%. According to the company, the Kvalnes site is being built to handle a future capacity of about 48,100 tonnes of salmon (HOG plus post-smolt).
