More than 100 top leaders in the seafood industry switched jobs throughout 2019 -- making it perhaps one of the most transformational years for management changes in the history of the industry.
IntraFish analyzes the biggest moves of the year as a result of scandals and new management, in ascending order.
Though December is typically a slow one for major management changes, two of the year's biggest shifts happened this month: Knut Nesse was permanently named Norwegian aquaculture group AKVA's CEO and tuna giant Tri Marine named Juan Corrales as CEO.
Nesse, who previously served as CEO of Skretting and Nutreco, replaced Hallvard Muri, who stepped down from his position in November.
Corrales, meanwhile, comes from family-owned company Garavilla. He suceeded Renato Curto, who lead Tri Marine for more than three decades.
Stuart Caborn joined Nomad Foods as its chief procurement officer (CPO), replacing Bob Hannon, who left Nomad Foods in January 2017. Caborn comes from Grimsby-based Young's Seafood, where he served as chief procurement and supply chain officer for almost four years.
In November, Mowi, the world's largest salmon producer and the industry's most valuable company, appointed CFO Ivan Vindheim as the new CEO. He took the place of Alf-Helge Aarskog, who stepped down after almost 10 years as CEO.
Analysts told IntraFish it was a natural move after a long time at the top and the shift represents continuity.
During the same month, IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, appointed Executive Director of Marine Ingredients Denmark Anne-Mette Baek as its new president. She takes over from New World Currents' Eduardo Goycoolea at the start of next year.
Russian Fishery Company CEO Fedor Kirsanov stepped down from his position as the company went through structural changes in its operations.
General Director Victor Litvinenko, who previously led the Far East division, took over as the new top executive.
During IntraFish's extensive coverage on the scandal-stricken Icelandic fishing company Samherji, Thorsteinn Mar Baldvinsson stepped aside as CEO of the company and also resigned from the board of many Norwegian and UK subsidiaries with ties to Samherji.
After the three-way mega Greek seabream and seabass merger took place in November, George Fragkoulis was named the new CEO of Nireus and Leonidas Kolioulis was appointed as the CEO of Selonda.
Tilapia producer Regal Springs Group poached Alois Hofbauer from Saudi Arabia's largest food manufacturing firm Almarai Group. He will be CEO effective Jan. 1.
Grimsby-based frozen seafood giant Young's Seafood also announced some major management reshuffles in November as it rearranged its commercial and procurement divisions.
Norwegian salmon farmer SalMar named its owner and co-founder Gustav Witzoe as CEO of the company in Oct. 21. The current CEO, Olav Andreas Ervik, will become managing director of the new subsidiary SalMar Ocean, responsible for the company's ventures in ocean-based fish farming.
US-based animal nutrition behemoth Cargill appointed Pilar Cruz as president of its compound animal feed and nutrition business, which includes Cargill Aqua Nutrition.
Late in September, Greek seabass and seabream giant Andromeda Seafood Group hired Alex Myers as group CEO.
Doug Paulin was named the new CEO of New Zealand seafood giant Sealord, and told IntraFish he has three things on his agenda: to continue the strong financial performance of the last three years; to invest in the company's people; and to prepare it for the climatic, environmental and market-driven changes that lie ahead.
Darren Beecham has hopped to neighboring company New England Seafood after spending most of his career with Young's Seafood.
Neil Anthony Sims, the co-founder and chief scientific office of groundbreaking offshore venture The Kampachi Company, stepped back from active involvement with the producer to focus on next generation, “over-the-horizon” technologies at the company's research facility in Kona, Hawaii.
Also in September, Maine-based Bristol Seafood hired Mike Lodato as its new vice president of sales, who will work to grow the supplier's portfolio of foodservice and retail accounts.
Young's snapped up former McCain Finance Director Saeeda Amin as CFO as of Sept. 2, a few months after the company was sold to the UK pork firm Karro, fully owned by private equity group CapVest.
With the upcoming promotion from marketing director of frozen food giant Bird's Eye to general manager of parent company Nomad Food's UK operations, Steve Challouma spoke about his plans for continuing the growth of the company's frozen fish and seafood business, but competition will always be in the way.
Malcolm Pye, founder and CEO of aquaculture health, nutrition and genetics business, Benchmark, also stepped down to allow the company to appoint a new CEO "to drive the next phase of Benchmark's growth and development."
US-based restaurant giant Red Lobster shook up its top seafood procurement team, with key veteran employees leaving.
--- Read the rest of the 100 top industry leader moves of this year ---
