"Westlie has been an important contributor to the work of establishing today's Aker Kvaerner," says group president and chief executive officer Helge Lund. "Under his financial management the group has acquired a solid foundation and a structure which gives us in the management and outsiders a good overview of both the whole and the individual parts of our operations.

"We have worked side by side for many years," says Lund. "Personally I'm sorry that Westlie is leaving, but we have discussed this over a long period, and I understand and respect his decision."

The work of finding Westlie's successor has begun. Until a new CFO is in place, group executive vice president and chief of staff Finn Berg Jacobsen will take on the post in an acting capacity. Since February 2002 Berg Jacobsen has been group executive vice president with responsibility for staff and a member of Aker Kvaerner's group executive team. He joined Kvaerner in autumn 2001 as CFO and played a central part in the refinancing of the group.

 

Aker Kværner ASA is through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Aker Kvaerner") a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. The business within Aker Kvaerner spans a number of industries, including Oil & Gas production, Refining & Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Mining & Metals, Power, Pulping and Shipbuilding. Aker Kvaerner has aggregated annual revenues of approximately USD 6 billion and employs around 29,000 employees in more than 30 countries.