Global integrated subsea services business Kreuz Subsea has appointed Knut Eriksen as the board’s first independent nonexecutive director. Eriksen, who took up the advisory position on December 1, will support the business on a strategic level and help to identify future growth opportunities.
Eriksen has worked for more than 35 years in the oil and gas sector around the world, having worked for the past two decades in senior management roles, including president of engineering at Aker Maritime and senior VP roles at Oceaneering International and NATCO Group, focusing on operations and business development. Additionally, he has held the position of VP – worldwide deepwater development at Unocal Corporation.
Eriksen has managed operations and delivered organizational transformation strategies in Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, UK, Norway and North America. He has also been instrumental in driving core values, HSE initiatives and establishing joint ventures for global businesses.
Marcus Thompson, chair of the Kreuz Subsea board, said, “The board and management team looks forward to Mr. Eriksen’s contributions based on his in-depth industry knowledge, strategic and operational orientation and business development track record and network.”
AJ Jain, Chief Executive Officer at Kreuz Subsea, said, “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. The company has never been in a stronger position, and we look forward to working together.”
In the past 12 months, Kreuz Subsea has 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 Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) off the west coast of India.
Eriksen said, “Kreuz Subsea has a growing track record for its workforce delivering reliable, quality and safe operations from its versatile fleet of assets. It is making all the right moves in the subsea sector as it looks to expand its services in new regions including the Middle East and Africa. 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.”
Earlier this year, Eriksen joined the board at Fairfield Geotechnologies as an independent non-executive Director.