Ketil Olsen is the new CEO for Andøya Space

The board of Andøya Space has, after a thorough process, decided to appoint acting CEO Ketil Olsen to the position on a permanent basis.

When former CEO Odd Roger Enoksen was appointed Minister of Defense in October 2021, the then Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Andøya Space, Ketil Olsen, stepped into the role of acting CEO at short notice. The vacant position was advertised at the same time, and after a thorough process, the board has now decided to hire Olsen permanently in the position.

– We are very pleased to announce that Ketil Olsen has agreed to continue at the helm of Andøya Space on a permanent basis, says Rasmus Sunde, chairman of the group. – We have carried out a structured and comprehensive process where several external applicants have also been considered, but concluded that Olsen is the best candidate.

Sunde highlights both Olsen’s previous management experiences both nationally and internationally as well as the intimate knowledge of Andøya Space as a reason why the choice fell on him.

– Olsen is an experienced leader and can point to good results both in previous positions and from his time in Andøya Space, Sunde explains. – The position requires solid abilities for communication, cooperation and the ability to keep a cool head under pressure when we are now one of the first in Europe to establish a launch base for small satellites and further develop our other business areas. We are confident that Ketil has the qualities needed to meet the company’s challenges and that he, together with the rest of the organization, will deliver the results the board expects.

About Andøya Space

Andøya Space is a Norwegian aerospace company. The company enable scientists to explore the atmosphere using rockets, balloons, unmanned aerial vehicles and advanced ground-based instruments. The company also enable aerospace and defence engineers to test out new technologies. Andøya Space educates and inspires the next generation of researchers and engineers, and is now working to establish a European launch base for small satellites in Norway.