Management

One Team, One Mission

What makes Mainstream truly special is our people. Our colleagues have developed some of the world’s first and largest renewable energy projects. When wind and solar power were alternative and emerging technologies, our people were pioneering the way forward and we now have the benefit of that knowledge for our teams around the world.

7

Core values

600+

Colleagues worldwide

34

Nationalities

20

Present in markets

1

Mission

1/5

Leadership teams

Meet our experienced leadership teams across all our regions.

Kristian Røkke

Chairman

Øyvind Eriksen

Director

Jan Ivar Nielsen

Director

Lesley O’Connor

Director

Erik Knive

Director

Koichi Katayama

Director

Kristian Røkke

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Kristian Røkke

Chairman

Kristian Monsen Røkke has experience from offshore services and shipbuilding in several companies in the Aker group. Prior to assuming his current position as CEO of Aker Horizons AS, Kristian Monsen Røkke served as Chief Investment Officer of Aker ASA.

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Øyvind Eriksen

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Øyvind Eriksen

Director

Øyvind joined Aker ASA in January 2009. Mr. Eriksen holds a law degree from the University of Oslo. He joined Norwegian law firm BA-HR in 1990, where he became a partner in 1996 and a director/ chairman in 2003. As a corporate attorney he among other things worked with strategic and operational development, M&A and negotiations. Mr. Eriksen has held several board positions in different industries, including shipping, finance, asset management, offshore drilling, fisheries, media, trade and industry.

As CEO Mr. Eriksen is currently chairman of the board in Aker BP ASA, Cognite AS, Aker Capital AS, Aker Holding AS, Aker Horizons, Aker Property Group AS, C4IR Ocean, and REV Ocean AS.

He is also a director of several companies, including Aker Solutions ASA, Aker BioMarine ASA, Aker Energy AS, Aker Carbon Capture AS, The Resource Group TRG AS, TRG Holding AS, The Norwegian Cancer Society (Kreftforeningen), and a member of World Economic Forum C4IR Global Network Advisory Board.

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Jan Ivar Nielsen

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Jan Ivar Nielsen

Director

Jan Ivar Nielsen has been with Aker Horizons from its inception in July 2020. Prior to this, he spent over 25 years in the Aker Group and its related companies across Norway, the UK, the US, Brazil and Ghana. This includes nine years as CFO in Philly Shipyard and six years as EVP and CFO in Vard Group. Prior to this Jan Ivar worked in the process industry for six years.

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Lesley O’Connor

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Lesley O’Connor

Director

In October 2020, Lesley took up the position of Group Insurance Manager working with risk owners across the business to innovate, protect and drive value for Mainstream’s assets. Previously, Lesley was seconded to Mainstream Chile as and worked with the team to deliver US$1.2bn in project finance and led insurance for its 1.3 GW ‘Andes Renovables’ platform. 

Following Aker Horizons’ acquisition of a majority stake in Mainstream in May 2021 and the subsequent formation of a new Board of Directors, Lesley was appointed to the Board representing the O’Connor family interests. Previously, Lesley also served on the Mainstream Board of Directors from 2015 up to the date of the acquisition. 

She joined Mainstream as Development Project Manager in January 2012 and rotated through development, business development and commercial functions supporting origination in target markets and mergers and acquisitions.

She studied Management Science and Information Systems Studies in Trinity College Dublin and holds an MBA from IE Business School, Madrid.

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Erik Knive

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Erik Knive

Director

Erik Knive joined Aker Horizons in March 2021, prior to joining AKH Erik was 15 years in the global power industry serving amongst other positions as EVP Asia, EVP Latin America, COO and Group CEO of global renewable champion SN Power AS. 

Prior to joining the power industry Erik, served 10 years in the international telecommunications industry, serving as Director Telematics Division in Teleplan and later Managing Director Asia and Vice President of Global Business development for Norconsult Telematics.

Erik also served 3 years as Group CEO of Green Resources AS the pan African afforestation and forestry products group. He is educated in the USA at Florida Air Academy, University of New Orleans and Harvard Business School and is a certified pilot.

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Koichi Katayama

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Koichi Katayama

Director

Koichi Katayama joined Mitsui & Co., Ltd. in April 1995.

Since joining Mitsui & Co., Ltd., most of his career has been spent in the Infrastructure
Projects Business Unit, helping to develop many infrastructure projects in power, oil & gas,
water, and logistics. This work has involved EPC management, project financing, investment,
M&As, and O&M oversight.

During his career, he has held several management and leadership roles, including
development of thermal power projects in Asian countries and primary energy projects in
Brazil, and the strategic planning of the Infrastructure Projects Business Unit. In the last
decade, he has been engaged in renewable energy projects, such as solar and onshore &
offshore wind power projects in Asia and Latin America.

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