Scantrol appoints Jan Kjærstad as new CEO
Jan Kjærstad, CEO at Scantrol
Scantrol is pleased to announce the appointment of Jan Kjærstad as the company's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Jan brings more than 35 years of experience from the offshore, marine, and fishing industries. Throughout his career, he has worked with winch technology, automation, and commercial development, building strong relationships with customers and partners across the maritime sector.
His connection with Scantrol goes back more than three decades. Jan first became a Scantrol customer in the early 1990s while working on upgrades of low-pressure trawl winches using the Scantrol 2000 control system. Since then, he has followed the company's development closely through various leadership roles in the industry.
Over the years, Jan has held positions at Brødr. Rogne AS, Aker Brattvaag Winch, ODIM, Rolls-Royce Marine, and most recently spent ten years as Head of Sales at Seaonics before establishing his own company in 2022. Throughout most of his career, he has worked closely with Scantrol as both a customer and an industry partner.
He also played an important role in the early introduction of electric winches for fishing vessels during the early 2000s and collaborated with Scantrol on the implementation of electrically driven spooling systems for trawl winches.
"I have known Scantrol for many years and have always been impressed by the company's technology, people, and customer focus. Scantrol has world-class products and a highly skilled and dedicated team. I look forward to working together with our employees to continue developing the company and building on the strong position and success that Scantrol has already achieved," said Jan Kjærstad.
“The Board and owners are very pleased that Jan has accepted the role as CEO. During his period as acting CEO since February, he has demonstrated strong leadership, sound judgement, and a clear understanding of both our business and the opportunities ahead. His combination of strategic insight, industry experience, and commitment to Scantrol made him the natural choice for the position. We are confident that Jan will continue to strengthen our organisation, drive profitable growth, and further develop our position as a leading provider of advanced marine and offshore technology,” said Helge Hammersland, Executive Chairman.
We warmly welcome Jan to Scantrol and look forward to the journey ahead together.