European risk manager of the year joins Marsh

Marsh has appointed Atle Farstad as principal in its risk consulting practice in London.

Farstad will integrate Marsh’s risk consulting service within the wider risk management offering provided by its parent company MMC.

Before joining Marsh, Farstad was a senior partner and co-owner of a small risk consulting business. From 2000 to 2006 he was chief risk officer with Norske Skog ASA in Norway, the world’s second largest newsprint producer, responsible for the group’s overall hazard, financial, strategic and operational risks. Previously, he was for 10 years finance director at Kvaerner ASA, a industry group operating worldwide.

In 2004, he was named European risk manager of the year in the StrategicRISK Awards and in 2001 he received an award as industry newcomer of the year.

Commenting on Farstad’s appointment, Eddie McLaughlin, managing director, Business Risk Consulting at Marsh said: “The landscape of risk is becoming increasingly complex for large firms to understand and navigate, due in part to increased regulatory requirements, environmental issues and economic factors.

“Atle has advised some of Europe’s leading companies on strategic risk management over the past 20 years and has been through the process himself as a chief risk officer. His experience will be invaluable to clients and colleagues alike as we execute on our plans to grow our risk consulting business globally.”