Fish health company PatoGen hires new chief executive

Norway, Scotland, and Ireland fish health, diagnostics, and laboratory production company PatoGen has appointed Thorstein Medhus as chief executive following the departure of former CEO Jørn Ulheim earlier this year.

Thorstein comes from the position of managing director at Wilhelmsen Chemicals, a company he led from 2013. Wilhelmsen Chemicals is one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of marine chemicals.

Before joining Wilhelmsen, Thorstein worked in various subsea companies. His background includes a degree from the University of Bergen. He is 57 years old, married, has three adult children, and lives in Lier, Drammen, southeast Norway.

Pioneer in fish health

"I am very pleased with the opportunity to lead PatoGen and look forward to building on a solid company with a good reputation. PatoGen will continue to be a pioneer in fish health and make its mark on the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry,” Medhus said in a press release.

PatoGen was established in 2005 and is owned by Fürst Medical Laboratory. Fürst offers similar services to the human health care sector in Norway as PatoGen offers to aquaculture.

PatoGen has approximately 65 employees working at the departments in Norway, Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, it has an office and laboratory at the European Marine Science Park at Dunbeg, Oban, and in Ireland it has facilities in Kinvarra, Galway.