Executive Team

Marel’s Executive Team has nine members with clear accountability. As of year-end 2021, the company’s Executive Team was composed of the below members. 

On 7 March 2022, Marel introduced changes to its Executive Team where Linda Jonsdottir was appointed Chief Operating Officer, responsible for Global Supply Chain and HR, and Stacey Katz was appointed Chief Financial Officer, responsible for the functions of Finance, IT, and Global business services. At the same time, Folkert Bolger, Executive Vice President of Global Supply Chain, has left Marel.

Chief Executive Officer

Arni Oddur Thordarson


Arni Oddur Thordarson became Marel’s CEO in November 2013, having served as Chairman of Marel’s Board of Directors from 2005. Thordarson co-founded Eyrir Invest in 2000 and was the company’s CEO until 2013. He has extensive global business experience and has served as non-executive director of various companies, including Fokker Technologies and Stork Technical Services.

EDUCATION MBA, IMD, Switzerland Cand. Oecon., Business Administration, University of Iceland

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 237,644 shares Other holdings: 17.9% of total outstanding shares in Eyrir Invest, Marel’s largest shareholder (Eyrir Invest holds 24.7% of total shares in Marel)

Chief Financial Officer

Linda Jonsdottir


Linda Jonsdottir has been Marel’s CFO since 2014. Jonsdottir is responsible for Finance, HR, IT, and Global business services. Prior to her current position she was Marel’s Corporate Director of Treasury and Investor Relations. Before joining Marel, Jonsdottir worked in treasury and financing for Eimskip, Burdaras, and Straumur Investment Bank. She was a member of the Board of Directors of Icelandic Enterprise Investment Fund from 2010 to 2015. Jonsdottir is a current Board member of the University of Iceland Science Park.

EDUCATION MSc, Finance, Reykjavik University Cand. Oecon., Business Administration, University of Iceland

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 602,007 shares

Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President of Strategic Business Units

Arni Sigurdsson


Arni Sigurdsson joined Marel in 2014. He leads the Strategy and M&A as well as the business units of Retail and Food Service Solutions and Innova Software. Sigurdsson serves on the board of Worximity Technology Inc. Before joining Marel he was an associate at AGC Partners. Prior to that he worked at Landsbanki Islands, where he supported Marel on the acquisition of Stork Food Systems.

EDUCATION MBA, Harvard Business School BSc, Industrial Engineering, University of Iceland

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 219,250 shares

Executive Vice President of Marel Fish

Gudbjorg Heida Gudmundsdottir


Gudbjorg Heida Gudmundsdottir joined Marel in 2011. She took up her current position in March 2020 and served most recently as a Local Manager for Marel in Iceland. Prior to that she was Innovation Cluster Manager for Iceland and the UK. Within Marel, Gudmundsdottir has led strategic projects within Innovation and Marel Fish. 

EDUCATION MSc, Industrial Engineering, University of Iceland BSc, Mechanical Engineering, University of Iceland

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 0 shares

Executive Vice President of Marel Poultry

Roger Claessens


Roger Claessens joined the Executive Team in September 2019. He has been with Marel and its predecessors since 2001, most recently as Director of Innovation Marel Poultry. Roger has a broad knowledge of poultry processing and innovation, having also served as Product Specialist and Manager Process Technology for Marel. 

EDUCATION MSc, Agricultural Engineering, Wageningen University

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 0 shares

Executive Vice President of Marel Meat

David Wilson


Following decades of experience in the food industry, David Wilson began his current position in 2012. He has been with Marel and its predecessors since 1998. Wilson was Senior Vice-President for the Marel Poultry Industry Center in Gainesville until 2012. Before that he served as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing and as a Regional Sales Manager.

EDUCATION MSc, Animal Science, Aberdeen University BSc (Hons), Agricultural and Business Management, Aberdeen University

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 327,517 shares

Executive Vice President of Global Supply Chain

Folkert Bolger


Folkert Bolger assumed his current position in 2017. Bölger has extensive global managerial experience in supply, procurement, and operational positions. Before joining Marel he was Vice-President of Operations and Procurement at Bang & Olufsen in Denmark. Bölger held various management positions at Philips and Siemens VDO in Asia, Central Europe, and Western Europe. 

EDUCATION MSc, Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology CPIM, American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 51,561 shares

Executive Vice President of Innovation

Anna Kristin Palsdottir


Anna Kristin Palsdottir joined the Executive Team in 2020. Since joining Marel in 2015, Palsdottir has held various managerial roles within Innovation. Most recently, she was Innovation Director for Cross-Industry. Her broad experience in Innovation prior to that includes serving as Innovation Manager for X-ray Solutions and Infrastructure Manager. Palsdottir has demonstrated excellence in leading cross-functional innovation teams within Marel.

EDUCATION MSc, Production Engineering, Technical University of Berlin BSc, Engineering Management, Reykjavik University

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 0 shares

Executive Vice President of Global Markets and Service

Ulrika Lindberg


Ulrika Lindberg joined Marel in 2018. She has extensive managerial experience in senior sales and service positions at large international organizations. Before joining Marel she was Vice President of Global Service at Alfa Laval and held various management positions worldwide for Alfa Laval and Tetra Pak.

EDUCATION BSc, Business and Administration, University of Lund

HOLDINGS IN MAREL 0 shares

All holdings as of 31 December 2021