An experienced harbour man will take the helm at the Port of Thyboron when Kjartan Ross steps through the door at Tankskibsvej 4 in Thyboron on 15 May.

Ever since February, it has been clear that the Port of Thyboron would need a new CEO, as our current CEO is due to step down by 30 June this year. After a two-month recruitment process, the Board of Directors has decided to appoint Kjartan Ross as new CEO of the Port of Thyboron. The decision was formally approved by the municipal council on 24 April. Kjartan Ross will take up his new position on 15 May.

Kjartan Ross is not an unknown face in the Danish port sector. He originally qualified as a ship’s officer from the Svendborg International Maritime Academy (SIMAC) on Funen. Throughout his land-based career, Kjartan has held various positions in the business community in North Jutland, most recently as Chief Commercial Officer at the Port of Aalborg for five years.

The Port of Thyboron has seen extensive development over the past decade. Ten years ago, the port generated revenue of DKK 36 million, was the third-largest fishing port in Denmark and handled 0.8 million tonnes of cargo a year. By 2023, the port’s revenue had grown to DKK 53 million, it was Denmark’s second-largest fishing port, and freight volumes had increased to 1.9 million tonnes a year. Outgoing CEO Jesper Holt Jensen will thus be handing over a pretty ship-shape port to Kjartan Ross.

Thyboron is also a port where developments are not likely to grind to a standstill in the coming years. The ambitions, determination and finances are in place to support future growth. In light of Kjartan’s commercial background in business development, and with his extensive network within the maritime and green sectors combined with his experience as CCO of the Port of Aalborg, he is the right person to take the Port of Thyboron forward.

On his future role as CEO of the Port of Thyboron, he says: “Both personally and as a leader, I’m what I would describe as an effective team player. Therefore, I’m very much looking forward to working with all the dedicated employees at the port.”

Kjartan is also well aware that no port is an island, but rather that it provides the framework for and operates in symbiosis with the companies located at and around the port. He says: “The Port of Thyboron has seen impressive development, and is today an incredibly dynamic port with huge scope for growth. As CEO of the Port of Thyboron, I look forward to bringing my knowledge, experience, network and my human and managerial expertise into play for the benefit of both the Port of Thyboron and the ecosystem it fosters in the surrounding community.”

The outgoing CEO is also extremely happy with the choice of Kjartan Ross as his replacement. As Jesper Holt Jensen puts it: “In my almost 10 years at the helm, the Port of Thyboron has seen significant development, and always based on positive collaboration and dialogue with the stakeholders based in and around the port. I’m very proud of this. However, the port needs an even stronger commercial focus for its new strategy to take wing and drive even more development. I’m convinced that Kjartan will be just the right person for this job in light of his management experience and with his attitude that management is also about taking on a team-player role – especially in Thyboron. I look forward to handing over to Kjartan.”

The Chairman of the Board at the Port of Thyboron, Karl Kristian Bro, is also happy to sign off on this important task for the Port of Thyboron. He says: “Both I myself and the rest of the Board have been extremely pleased with our collaboration with our outgoing CEO, Jesper Holt Jensen. Therefore, we have invested considerable energy and commitment in finding the right person to take over from Jesper. In Kjartan, who has now been appointed new CEO of the port from 15 May, the rest of the Board and I are convinced that we have someone who can and will further the port’s development. We’re delighted with this, and I’m very much looking forward to working with Kjartan Ross in the coming years.”