Kreuz Subsea names first independent non-executive director

Subsea services company Kreuz Subsea has appointed the company’s first independent non-executive director.

Kreuz said on Monday that it named Knut Eriksen as the first independent non-executive director.

Eriksen, who took up the advisory position on December, will support the business on a strategic level and help to identify future growth opportunities.

He worked for more than 35 years in the oil and gas sector around the world. In addition to having managed operations, he delivered organizational transformation strategies which successfully supported business operations in Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, UK, Norway, and North America.

For the past two decades, Eriksen held senior management roles, including president of engineering at Aker Maritime, and senior VP roles at Oceaneering International and NATCO Group. He also held the position of VP for worldwide deepwater development at Unocal.

Marcus Thompson, Kreuz Subsea chairman, said: “The board and management team looks forward to Eriksen’s contributions based on his in-depth industry knowledge, strategic and operational orientation and business development track record and network.”

AJ Jain, CEO of Kreuz Subsea, added: “Knut Eriksen is highly regarded in the subsea sector for his success in driving and delivering tangible results internationally. His broad range of skills and expertise will be of significant benefit to the management as we look to implement strategies in the regions which are key to our continued growth.”

In the past 12 months, Kreuz Subsea completed the reorganization phase of its executive team and secured a steady pipeline of projects into 2019 across the Asia Pacific region.

This includes the previously announced seven-year award with Brunei Shell Petroleum and a five-vessel contract with Larson & Toubro to support pipeline campaigns in the Mumbai High and Daman field operated by ONGC off the west coast of India.

Regarding his appointment, Eriksen said: “I look forward to working closely with AJ Jain, his executive team and the board as it continues on its mission to deliver exceptional results and fulfill its true potential in new markets in the years ahead.”

It is also worth noting that, earlier this year, Eriksen joined the board of FairfieldNodal.