The board of the renewable energy group Aneo has appointed Gunnar Hovland (58) as the new CEO. Hovland comes from the position of CEO at the food company TINE, and he has previous experience in both the energy and financial sectors.
- With Gunnar Hovland at the helm, we have a CEO in Aneo who can further develop the Aneo group and the management philosophy behind the values already created in the company. We get a leader who understands and can lead in energy, finance, industry, and end-user markets, and who has led a group with both production and customers inside and outside Norway. Gunnar's extensive experience as the top leader in large and complex organizations has been crucial for us, says Chairman of Aneo, Terje Eidesmo.
The Right Person
Aneo is the new Nordic renewable energy company of TrønderEnergi and HitecVision, established in the autumn of 2022. The renewable group has big ambitions and plans to invest between 15 and 20 billion in new renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and energy services throughout the Nordics. Several investments have already been made.
- We are confident that in Gunnar, we have found the right leader to realize Aneo's strategy and enable all Aneo's employees to perform at their best to achieve the energy transition needed in the Nordics, while also providing a reasonable return for our owners, says Chairman Eidesmo.
Experienced Top Leader
Gunnar Hovland, originally from Luster in Sogn, resides in Trondheim where Aneo's headquarters is located. Since 2018, he has been the CEO of Tine; prior to that, he was the CEO of BN Bank, Deputy CEO at Fjordkraft, and CEO of Trondheim Kraft. Hovland is clear that he now enters the energy industry to contribute to realizing the critically needed energy transition in society.
- Aneo is strategically positioned to help solve one of the greatest challenges of our time, with expertise, technology, solutions, and above all, skilled people. Our key task is to contribute to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, we must maintain a sustainable energy system and ensure the energy transition is beneficial for both us and our customers. This is our mission, and being able to work on this every day is something I am very much looking forward to and find great motivation in, says Hovland.
From the Start of the Year
The 58-year-old will start at Aneo following further agreement, once the leadership change at TINE is complete. He will spend the initial period getting to know Aneo, with Olav S. Austmo acting as the CEO until the end of the year. Since March, Austmo has been acting in the role and will return to his previous position as Executive Vice President for Finance (CFO) at Aneo from January 1st, along with taking a central role as Deputy CEO.
- We know we have great people with strong skills and knowledge across many areas of our business. Therefore, we have been focused on recruiting a leader who can get the most out of our people. We are confident that through his strong belief in trust-based leadership and leading through others, Gunnar lays a solid foundation for the necessary execution strength in the organization, says Aneo’s Chairman, Terje Eidesmo.
Looking Forward
Hovland is ready to roll up his sleeves and contribute to the energy transition.
- Aneo combines 70 years of experience with some of the most exciting services in the energy markets. Now, I am looking forward to getting better acquainted with the company and the people. We have an important and exciting societal mission, and I am eager to embark on this journey together with the rest of the organization and our excellent energy, industry, and knowledge partners in the technology capital of Trondheim, says Hovland.
