Trond Severinsen Brings 40 Years of Aquaculture Experience to Ocean Tales

20 August 2026
Edited By: Haley McQueen

Ocean Tales is strengthening its team with one of the aquaculture industry's most experienced figures, with over 40 years' experience in the sector, including 25 years in senior roles at AKVA group—both nationally and internationally.

(Image credit: Ocean Tales)

Severinsen has held a number of key leadership roles within the AKVA Group, including as Country Manager in Canada, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Head of Technology & Development. At Ocean Tales, he will focus in particular on assisting clients with business and technology development, strategy and networking, as well as internationalization and consulting with regard to export and import of aquaculture technology.

During his time at AKVA group, Severinsen played a key role in building up the company’s operations in Canada and subsequently its export business from Bryne, Norway—with sales to over 50 countries and the establishment of subsidiaries in countries including Turkey, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Iran. He was a key contributor to the company’s listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 2006, and later headed the global development department—a team of around 35 staff responsible for Technology & Development—overseeing the further development of, among other things, new Arctic Circle pens, feeding and camera systems, and SCADA system.

“This was a crucial piece of the puzzle for us to put in place. We are growing rapidly, and our projects often span national borders. With his global network and extensive experience, Trond is a truly unique asset,” said Pål von Zinke Herstad, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Ocean Tales.

In recent years, Severinsen has served as CCO and later CTO at Ovum AS (‘The Egg’). He is currently finalizing some ongoing projects at his own consultancy firm, Vannfast AS, before joining Ocean Tales to focus on the role of Industry Specialist & Commercial Growth.

“The opportunity to join Ocean Tales was simply too good to turn down. I founded Vannfast in 2020 with a commercial focus on helping suppliers with technology and market development, as well as various due diligence processes for investors. It has been many years of exciting and varied assignments all over the world, covering everything from salmon to prawns and warm-water species. But there’s only so much you can achieve on your own, and together with highly competent colleagues at Ocean Tales, a much larger market is opening up where we can jointly offer more services to more clients globally,” said Trond Severinsen.