Swedish offshore vessel owner Viking Supply Ships will place both its top executive roles in the hands of controlling shareholder Kistefos effective August 1, following the resignation of long-serving chief executive Trond Myklebust, according to Splash247.
The company has appointed Ulrik Mannhart as chief executive and chairman Bengt Rem as group CEO, with both appointments taking effect on August 1, Splash247 reported. Myklebust, who has led Viking Supply Ships since 2017, resigned at his own request and will leave the company at the end of July.
New leadership line-up
Mannhart joined the Viking Supply Ships board in April and is an investment manager at Kistefos, according to Splash247. He previously spent two and a half years at Hayfin Capital Management, working on shipping and offshore drilling investments. His earlier career covered shipping, offshore and energy at Fearnley Securities and Nordea, the report said.
Rem has chaired Viking Supply Ships since 2016 and has served as chief executive of Kistefos since 2015. Before joining the Christen Sveaas-controlled investment group, he headed Arctic Partners and held several senior positions at Aker, Splash247 reported.
| Role | Appointee | Effective from | Background per Splash247 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive | Ulrik Mannhart | August 1 | Investment manager at Kistefos; previously Hayfin Capital Management, Fearnley Securities, Nordea |
| Group CEO | Bengt Rem | August 1 | Chairman of Viking Supply Ships since 2016; CEO of Kistefos since 2015; previously Arctic Partners, Aker |
The appointments place both executive roles in the hands of representatives from Viking Supply Ships' majority owner.
Ownership concentration
Kistefos held 80.1% of the company's shares and 85.3% of its voting rights in its latest published ownership disclosure, Splash247 reported. The new leadership structure therefore consolidates the CEO and group CEO functions inside the majority owner's representative group.
Fleet expansion continues
Alongside the management changes, Viking Supply Ships has been expanding its ice-class anchor-handler fleet, the same source reported. Earlier this year, the company acquired the 2019-built Maersk Maker from Kistefos, renamed the vessel Tor Viking and fitted it with a launch and recovery system before entering the North Sea market.
What this means for offshore supply chain partners
For freight forwarders, offshore logistics operators and shipowners dealing with Viking Supply Ships, the leadership change means both executive functions now sit within the Kistefos organisation. Kistefos already held a majority control position, and the appointments deepen that structure, according to Splash247. The Tor Viking acquisition adds a 2019-built ice-class anchor handler to the fleet, with the vessel refitted before its North Sea deployment.
Watch list
- Trond Myklebust's departure from Viking Supply Ships at the end of July, ending a leadership tenure that began in 2017.
- Ulrik Mannhart and Bengt Rem formally assuming their new roles on August 1.
- The Tor Viking's entry into the North Sea market following its acquisition, renaming and refit earlier this year.
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