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Karlsen takes up chief financial officer role as Norwegian rejigs top team

Karlsen takes up chief financial officer role as Norwegian rejigs top team

Geir Karlsen has taken up the role of chief financial officer with Norwegian, as the low-cost carrier rejigs its management team.

Karlsen joins Norwegian following his former role as group chief financial officer at the London-based shipping company Navig8 Group.

He has extensive experience from listed companies within shipping and offshore.

Karlsen said: “I look forward to becoming a part of the top management at one of Norway’s most international growth companies and to take part in its ambitious growth plans.

“Norwegian has become an internationally renowned airline with an existing fleet of more than 140 aircraft and a pending order of more than an additional 200.

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“Aviation is characterised by strong competition, and I hope and believe that my background and experience will contribute to further developing the company.”

Karlsen has over the last 12 years held various chief financial officer positions with international companies such as Golden Ocean Group and Songa Offshore.

Norwegian chief executive Bjørn Kjos said: “I’m very pleased that Geir Karlsen will be a part of our team.

“A major part of his professional experience clearly resembles the airline industry, where lease agreements and financing of major transactions are key to succeed.

“At the same time, he has extensive management experience from major international companies that is very important to enable Norwegian’s global growth.”

Norwegian’s acting chief financial officer, Tore Østby, continues in the management of the company in a new position as executive vice president strategic development.

Østby, who has acted as chief financial officer since July 2017, has 15 years of experience from the financial sector as senior analyst and analyst manager.

In addition, he has seven years of experience from the Orkla Group.

Østby said: “I look forward to continuing at Norwegian.

“We have had a fantastic development and amazing future opportunities.

“Today we have a unique loyalty programme, one of the world’s most modern fleets and many interesting business opportunities.”