"I'm very pleased that we're getting a strong and international management team with great experience from Norske Skog and other companies," says Mr Oksum.

"With five people who have their background in international sales, we'll be further strengthening the focus on customers in everything we do."

 

Jan-Hinrich Clasen (46) has been appointed senior vice president for sales and marketing. He comes from the job of vice president for newsprint in Norske Skog, and served before that as senior vice president for sales and marketing at Pan Asia Paper Co Ltd in Singapore.

Jan Clasen worked for a number of years with Axel Springer Verlag AG in Germany, where his posts included president of a printing works. A graduate engineer by training, he holds a master's degree and PhD from Clausthal Technical University in Germany.

 

Antonio Dias (40) has been appointed senior vice president responsible for South America. With Norske Skog since 2000, he comes from the job of vice president for sales and business development at Norske Skog South America's head office in Curitiba, Brazil. Before that, he spent a number of years with Fletcher Challenge Paper in New Zealand and held a variety of responsibilities there. These included business development, e-commerce and investor relations. Antonio Dias graduated as an engineer in Brazil, and holds a master's degree and a PhD in engineering from the University of Michigan in the USA.

 

Changes made to areas of responsibility covered by members of the corporate management are:

 

Vidar Lerstad (59) takes over responsibility for strategy and partially-owned companies from Jan Oksum. Mr Lerstad is currently senior vice president for South America. Earlier posts include supervising Norske Skog's involvement in Asia and corporate responsibility for sales.

 

Jarle Dragvik (44) takes over responsibility for production from Claes-Inge Isacson. Mr Dragvik is currently senior vice president for sales and marketing and earlier headed the Norske Skog Bruck mill in Austria.

 

Claes-Inge Isacson left Norske Skog on 31 December 2003. He had been a member of the corporate management since 1994, most recently with responsibility for production.

 

 

Jan Lars Kildal (53), senior vice president and chief financial officer.

 

Rolf Negård (46), senior vice president human resources and organisation.

 

Hanne Aaberg (44), senior vice president corporate communication.

 

Ketil Lyng (48), senior vice president supply and logistics.

 

Rob Lord (44), senior vice president, Norske Skog Australasia.

 

 

 

 

For additional information, please contact

Senior Vice President, Hanne Aaberg phone +47 67 59 90 29 or mobile +47 913 51681