New Leadership Roles at Orsted: Trond Westlie as Group CFO and Patrick Harnett as COO Step Up

In response to the evolving landscape of the wind industry, Orsted has nominated Trond Westlie as Group Chief Financial Officer and Patrick Harnett as Chief Operational Officer, marking a strategic move following last year’s management restructuring. Both Westlie and Harnett will assume their new roles effective April 1, stepping into positions critical for Orsted’s strategic direction.

Westlie brings a wealth of financial expertise to the table, having previously held the position of group CFO at prominent organizations such as A.P. Moller-Maersk, Veon, Telenor, and Aker Kvaerner. Currently, he serves as chair at Arendals Fossekompani and sits on the board of Wilhelmsen, a leading maritime group.

Harnett, on the other hand, has been integral to Orsted’s European operations, spearheading the execution of key projects such as the Hornsea 3 project in the U.K., where he oversees project development and construction.

The reshuffling of leadership positions follows the departure of former CFO Daniel Lerup and COO Richard Hunter in November. During this transition period, Rasmus Errboe, CEO of Orsted’s Europe division, temporarily assumed the role of CFO, while board member Andrew Brown served as interim COO.

With the impending appointments of Westlie and Harnett, Errboe will return to his role as CEO of Europe, while Brown, proposed as deputy chair, will step down by the end of March. Amid challenges such as rising costs and delays in offshore development projects, Orsted recently unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing these issues. This plan includes cost-cutting measures, a temporary halt in dividends, asset divestments, and a reevaluation of business priorities.

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