The Norwegian aluminum company Norsk Hydro ASA will make some changes to the corporate management board to strengthen the Rolled Products business area as well as business-critical support functions in the areas of personnel and organizational development, global framework conditions and stakeholder management.

Effective January 1, 2015, four new Executive Vice Presidents (EVP) will join Hydro's Executive Committee: Kjetil Ebbesberg as the new Head of Rolled Products, Hanne Simensen responsible for People & amp; HSE (health and safety, occupational safety and environmental protection), Anne Lene Midseim as General Councel and responsible for CSR and Inger Sethov responsible for Communication & amp; Public Affairs.

“The global aluminum market is changing rapidly. The winner in this industry is in the areas of competence, innovation and technology

be a leader and act in accordance with the given framework for compliance and responsibility. Our new group management is our answer to a new future for aluminum and should ensure that Hydro occupies a leading position in the industry and that our ability to create added value is strengthened, ”says CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg.

Ebbesberg becomes head of Rolled Products

Kjetil Ebbesberg (43) currently head of Hydro's rolling mill in Holmestrand in Norway and former head of Metal Markets, will take over as head of the Rolled Products business at Hydro. & nbsp;

Ebbesberg, whose career started at Hydro in 1996, has a Masters in Business Administration from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) in Bergen. From 2007 to 2009, he was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Norwegian retail company COOP before returning to Hydro to head Metal Markets. Ebbesberg has been head of the rolling mill in Holmestrand since 2012. There he acquired further operational skills and thus supplemented his commercial competence.

“We are very pleased that Kjetil Ebbesberg will take over the management of Rolled Products. He brings with him a solid combination of commercial and operational skills and will help optimize our portfolio and further strengthen our customer focus in the processing area of our value chain. ” says Brandtzæg.

Oliver Bell, who has been Executive Vice President responsible for Rolled Products since 2007, leaves Hydro after 29 years with the company to pursue other opportunities.

“For years, Bell has made an important contribution to Hydro's strategic agenda. He has done an excellent job of positioning Hydro in the European and global aluminum industry, especially in the customer-oriented downstream market. I regret that he is leaving the company and wish him all the best for his future career, ”says Brandtzæg.

Strengthening staff functions

In order to increase the focus on the business-critical support functions at Hydro, the previous Corporate Staffs division will be reorganized and divided into two: People & amp; HSE and General Counsel & amp; CSR. Communication & amp; Public affairs will be part of the group management in future, since global framework conditions and stakeholder management are becoming increasingly important.

Hanne Simensen (47), formerly Head of Human Resources in the Energy business area and currently Head of Energy Markets, takes responsibility for People & amp; HSE. Anne Lene Midseim (46), currently Company Secretary and previously Head of Staff in the Bauxite & amp; Alumina in Brazil becomes General Counsel and takes responsibility for CSR. Inger Sethov (44) currently Senior Vice President Communication & amp; Public Affairs, will continue to lead this area as Executive Vice President and a member of the Executive Committee.

"These support functions are critical to developing our business and ensuring Hydro's ability to realize the full potential of our strong platform," said Brandtzæg.

Our organization, our competency base and our selection of executives must be continuously developed to ensure that we have talents that meet our objectives. Equally, our ability to ensure a competitive environment and our stakeholder management skills are critical success factors wherever we operate worldwide, ”said Brandtzæg
Wenche Agerup, currently General Counsel and EVP of People & amp; Organization, HSE, CSR and Compliance, will leave the company after 15 years with Hydro.

"I regret that Agerup is leaving corporate management and Hydro. In various management positions with extensive commercial and operational responsibility, she has done an outstanding job for the company. For the past five years, she has been General Counsel and Executive Vice President responsible for corporate staff. Agerup has led deep change processes and has played an active role in shaping Hydro's strategic direction. It has contributed significantly to the development of a new HR strategy and to further strengthening Hydro's compliance system, ”says Brandtzæg,

After the changes, Hydro’s Executive Committee (CMB) is composed as follows:

Svein Richard Brandtzæg - & nbsp; President and CEO

Hilde Merete Aasheim & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP Primary Metal
Kjetil Ebbesberg & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP Rolled Products
Alberto Fabrini & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP Bauxite & amp; Alumina
Eivind Kallevik & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP and CFO
Anne-Lene Midseim & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP CSR & amp; General Counsel
Arvid Moss & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP Energy and Corporate Business Development
Inger Sethov & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP Communication & amp; Public Affairs
Hanne Simensen & nbsp; - & nbsp; EVP People & amp; HSE