Maritech hires former Olympic athlete and Marel manager to expand its reach in Iceland

Norwegian traceability and business software developer Maritech aims to grow its business in Iceland with the addition of Konrad Olavsson as its new sales and service manager.

Maritech, which was founded on the west coast of Norway 40 years ago, considers Iceland as one of its core markets – the company has been present there since 2019 through its partnership with Sea Data Center, it said. Olavsson will serve as “a new ambassador and key resource” based at the Iceland Ocean Cluster, Maritech confirmed in a press release.

“The Icelandic seafood industry is innovative and at the forefront when it comes to adopting new technology,” Olavsson said. “I believe that Maritech is a great match through our solutions and expertise. We are industry leaders when it comes to software development, have in-depth knowledge of the seafood processes and have solutions for the entire value chain, not just parts of it. I am extremely happy that I am given the opportunity to lead the further growth for Maritech in Iceland.”

Over the course of his career so far, Olavsson has worked as a marketing manager for Marel and as CEO of Maris. He was also a professional handball player in Germany until he turned 30, going as far as to compete on the global stage at the Olympics.

“I took my family with me and worked for Marel in Norway. I also worked a few years in the finance business before we moved back to Iceland in 2013, and later became CEO of Maris,”  Olavsson said.

Alongside his new role with Maritech, Olavsson will be pursuing a master’s degree in innovation and business management, he said.

“As Maritech operates throughout the value chain, it requires knowledge of the processes for seafood, but also of the financial and strategic parts, and the market. My broad competence will be useful to both me and Maritech. Maritech grows quickly and are pioneers in our field. This mentality suits me very well,” Olavsson said.

Maritech CEO Odd Arne Kristengård believes Olavsson’s financial and strategic savvy, paired with his experience in seafood, will prove great assets for the company.

“We are delighted to have Konrad on the team,” Kristengård said. “His varied and solid background and his large network is quite unique, and we are proud that he chose Maritech. The seafood customers in Iceland are in the best hands.” 

Photo courtesy of Maritech