Today, the Board of Norske Skog appointed Jan Oksum (53) as CEO of Norske Skog, effective January 1, 2004. Earlier this year, Jan Reinås informed the Board that he wished to retire from his position as CEO latest when he turns 60 years old. The Board carried out an extensive recruitment process to find a successor for Jan Reinås.

 

Since 2000, Jan Oksum has held the position of Deputy CEO with responsibility for Strategy and Business Development in Norske Skog. During this period, he was responsible for the company's acquisitions and their integration. Jan Oksum and has held many key positions in the company. He has broad international experience and is today, the Chairman of the Board in the publicly listed company, Norske Skog Canada Ltd. (Vancouver) and Board member in PanAsia Paper Co. Pte Ltd. (Singapore) and Malaysian Newsprint Industries SDN BHD (Kuala Lumpur). Jan Oksum has been with Norske Skog since 1979. He was involved with the construction of Norske Skog's operations in France from 1989 and was the Managing Director for this operation from 1994 to 1996.

 

Jan Reinås has been CEO since 1994. Under his direction, Norske Skog has become one of Norway's biggest and most international industrial companies. Today, it is the world's second largest producer of publication papers with 23 mills in 15 countries. The company has been restructured financially, non-core activities have been sold, and the company is approaching 100 per cent concentration on publication paper.

 

Jan Oksum will assume his new position as CEO of Norske Skog January 1, 2004.

 

The Board of Norske Skog looks forward to a strong and good co-operation with Jan Oksum.