ZIMBABWE – Lake Harvest Group, one of the largest integrated aquaculture companies in sub-Saharan Africa, has appointed Atle Eide, as an independent Chairman of the board.
The tilapia farming outfit has tapped into the expertise of the fish industry veteran, who is also serving as the Chair of SalMar, one of the world’s biggest producers of salmon.
“We are very pleased and proud that Atle, who is a globally recognised leader in the aquaculture sector is joining Lake Harvest.
“With his dedication, knowledge and experience, we are convinced that Atle will make a strong contribution to the future success of Lake Harvest,” said James de la Fargue, CEO of Lake Harvest.
Alte holds several positions in and outside of the seafood industry, such as board member for The Norwegian Seafood Federation, Benchmark Holdings, Kontali. He is also chairman of Scale AQ and SalmarAkerOcean.
An ardent advocate of sustainable fishing practices, Alte has also lent his expertise to Skretting Nordic, Hydro Seafood, Kverneland Group and Marine Harvest.
“I believe in the purpose of Lake Harvest and am strongly motivated to contribute to the development of sustainable aquaculture in Africa.
“I look forward to working with the Lake Harvest team, the other board members and the shareholders Aqua-Spark, Norfund and African Century Group,” said Eide.
His appointment follows the recent US$7 million investment by Aqua-Spark and Norfund in the company, slated to be channelled towards growth of its operations in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Uganda.
In addition to the financial backing, the fish distributor has attracted Aqua-Spark, the pioneer fund for sustainable aquaculture, as a new cornerstone investor.
With this investment, the fund joins African Century Group and Norfund as shareholders of Lake Harvest.
Following its gain of long-term investors, African Development Bank has ceased its shareholding in the company.
Established in 1997, in the fresh waters of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, Lake Harvest is a long-time leader in Sub Saharan Africa with operations in three countries and a sales and distribution presence in seven countries.
With its own distribution network and processing plant, as well as a locally embedded team with decades of experience, Lake Harvest is well-positioned for growth.
The farm is mission-aligned—adopting best practices that include education and training programs for staff as well as the sale of by products, antibiotic-free operations, and genetic improvement.
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