Norwegian conglomerate Orkla, which runs food businesses from Europe to India, today (8 September) named the head of its aluminium business as the group’s new president and CEO.
Bjørn Wiggen, boss of Orkla’s aluminium division Sapa, becomes president and CEO of the entire company with immediate effect.
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Wiggen, 50, replaces Dag Opedal, who announced in July that he would step down from the helm after six years in the job.
Wiggen, who has been at the company for five years said he had “strong feelings for Orkla” and insisted the group would remain a “diversified portfolio company”.
However, he indicated that Orkla would look to “prioritise resources … to maximise Orkla’s ability to create long-term value for its shareholders” and cited opportunities for its FMCG arm, Orkla Brands.
“There are good growth opportunities in markets such as those in which Orkla Brands and Sapa operate, and we see particular potential for us in Asia,” Wiggen said. “We will concentrate the Group’s activities on a smaller number of areas in the time to come, and we will seek to reduce our exposure to solar energy over time.”
