Bjørn Wiggen to take over as President and CEO of Sapa

Bjørn Wiggen has a MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). Mr Wiggen has extensive experience in international industry. From 1996 to 1998 he was CEO of Pripps Bryggerier in Sweden, after which he held key positions in Carlsberg Breweries from 2001 to 2005, which included responsibility for running and developing the Group's breweries in Central and Eastern Europe. Mr Wiggen was head of Orkla Media/Mecom Europe from 2005 to 2007, and from 2008 Managing Director of Elkem, which is also part of the Orkla Group.

"I am really looking forward to starting work at Sapa. My role as member of Sapa's Board of Directors in the past year has enabled me to get to know this exciting company with a very strong, competent organisation. The strategy that Sapa has laid out in the past few years entailing the further development of Profiles, Building System and Heat Transfer on the basis of a decentralised structure remains unchanged. I see a number of proactive opportunities for further developing Sapa in the direction of customer-focused solutions, and for expanding through acquisitions. However, our main concern in the short term is to deal with the extremely challenging market situation," says Bjørn Wiggen.

"My time at Sapa has been fantastic," declares Ole Enger. "I have great respect for the company, its employees and its strong market positions. Bjørn Wiggen has all the qualifications to do an excellent job of leading Sapa to future growth."

"On behalf of Sapa's Board of Directors I would like to thank Ole Enger for his dedicated efforts and contribution to value creation in the company. He has helped to move Sapa forward in a positive way. I wish Ole Enger and Bjørn Wiggen every success in their new roles," says Dag J. Opedal, President and CEO of Orkla and Chairman of Sapa's Board of Directors.

Given his new role as President and CEO of REC, Ole Enger will withdraw from Orkla. Bjørn Wiggen will remain in Orkla's Group Executive Board with responsibility for Sapa and Elkem. He will become Chairman of Elkem's Board of Directors while Helge Aasen has been appointed Managing Director of Elkem.

Sapa and Elkem are fully owned companies in the Orkla Group. For more information - go to

www.sapagroup.com and www.elkem.com.

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Bjørn Wiggen to take over as President and CEO of Sapa
Bjørn Wiggen (49) has been appointed President and CEO of Sapa and will assume the new position in the course of April. This appointment has been made in conjunction with President and CEO Ole Enger (61) taking over as CEO of the Renewable Energy Corporation (REC), in which Orkla is the largest shareholder with a stake of 39.73 per cent.
Bjørn Wiggen has a MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). Mr Wiggen has extensive experience in international industry. From 1996 to 1998 he was CEO of Pripps Bryggerier in Sweden, after which he held key positions in Carlsberg Breweries from 2001 to 2005, which included responsibility for running and developing the Group's breweries in Central and Eastern Europe. Mr Wiggen was head of Orkla Media/Mecom Europe from 2005 to 2007, and from 2008 Managing Director of Elkem, which is also part of the Orkla Group. "I am really looking forward to starting work at Sapa. My role as member of Sapa's Board of Directors in the past year has enabled me to get to know this exciting company with a very strong, competent organisation. The strategy that Sapa has laid out in the past few years entailing the further development of Profiles, Building System and Heat Transfer on the basis of a decentralised structure remains unchanged. I see a number of proactive opportunities for further developing Sapa in the direction of customer-focused solutions, and for expanding through acquisitions. However, our main concern in the short term is to deal with the extremely challenging market situation," says Bjørn Wiggen. "My time at Sapa has been fantastic," declares Ole Enger. "I have great respect for the company, its employees and its strong market positions. Bjørn Wiggen has all the qualifications to do an excellent job of leading Sapa to future growth." "On behalf of Sapa's Board of Directors I would like to thank Ole Enger for his dedicated efforts and contribution to value creation in the company. He has helped to move Sapa forward in a positive way. I wish Ole Enger and Bjørn Wiggen every success in their new roles," says Dag J. Opedal, President and CEO of Orkla and Chairman of Sapa's Board of Directors. Given his new role as President and CEO of REC, Ole Enger will withdraw from Orkla. Bjørn Wiggen will remain in Orkla's Group Executive Board with responsibility for Sapa and Elkem. He will become Chairman of Elkem's Board of Directors while Helge Aasen has been appointed Managing Director of Elkem. Sapa and Elkem are fully owned companies in the Orkla Group. For more information - go to www.sapagroup.com and www.elkem.com.

Date: 30. mar 2009 Kl 08.03