General Oceans Appoints EVPs at Nortek, RS Aqua, and Reach Robotics

Left to right: Jannicke Koch-Hagen leading Nortek, Louis Burnard heading RS Aqua, and Nathan King formally appointed to Reach Robotics. (Image credit: General Oceans)
Left to right: Jannicke Koch-Hagen leading Nortek, Louis Burnard heading RS Aqua, and Nathan King formally appointed to Reach Robotics. (Image credit: General Oceans)

General Oceans ASA has announced that Jannicke Koch-Hagen has been appointed Executive Vice President of Nortek, Louis Burnard has been appointed Executive Vice President of RS Aqua Ltd, and Nathan King has been appointed Executive Vice President of Reach Robotics.

Jannicke Koch-Hagen joined Nortek in 2014 and brings more than 30 years of experience in finance, business development, supply chain, and international operations. During her time at Nortek, she has held several senior roles, including CFO & HR Director, VP & Financial Director, and acting CEO (2024/2025 and 2026). Before joining Nortek, Koch-Hagen was Finance Director at Green Resources, a sustainable forestry company operating across East Africa. Earlier in her career, she held senior positions in finance, supply chain, and business development at a global specialty pharmaceutical company. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Henley Management College and has completed studies in auditing at BI Norwegian Business School. Koch-Hagen has been acting EVP of Nortek since August 2026 and assumed her new duties permanently on September 1, 2026. She replaces Bjørn Ladegård, who left the company in summer 2026.

Louis Burnard, the new Executive Vice President of RS Aqua, joins the company after more than 16 years at Fugro, where he held numerous leadership roles, including Country Management and Regional Business Line Director. Most recently, he led a global commercial transformation across all business lines, reshaping the company’s approach to pricing, bidding, and commercial risk management. Burnard holds a Bachelor of Science in Planetary Science from University College London. Burnard succeeds Martin Stemp, who contributed to RS Aqua’s success for more than 14 years and ensured a smooth transition following the company’s acquisition by General Oceans in November 2024.

“I am delighted to welcome Jannicke and Louis as permanent members of General Oceans’ Brand Leadership Team. Their experience and knowledge will be valuable as we continue to grow our business. I would also like to thank Bjørn and Martin for their contributions to the Group and wish them the best of luck in the future,” said Atle Lohrmann, President of General Oceans.

In addition, having overseen the running of the business for several months, demonstrating strong leadership through a period of transition, Nathan King has now been formally appointed as Executive Vice President of Reach Robotics. With a strong operational background and robust understanding of the business, King brings confidence that Reach will continue its growth trajectory with a solid and progressive team in place.

Atle Lohrmann commented: “Reach Robotics has been a real success story, and it’s clear to see that Nathan brings the energy to take the business further as it grows its capabilities in subsea robotics.”

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