Håvard Klafstad has never been drawn to the obvious. He is motivated by situations where the path is not clearly defined, where decisions have to be made and direction adjusted along the way. This mindset is something he now brings with him into Group Management at Lerøy.
From April, he takes on the role of Chief Procurement Officer. With this move, procurement will play a more visible and influential role within the company.
– It’s a great vote of confidence, and an opportunity to bring a function that has long been in the background more to the forefront.
Motivated by challenge
Håvard has always been active. Swimming and football were a big part of his life growing up, and especially in the pool it was all about structure, discipline and marginal gains.
– Back in the day, I was very good, he says with a smile.
While sport is now more of a hobby, his competitive instinct remains. These days, snowboarding takes up most of his time, often with his family in Myrkdalen. He prefers terrain that is less predictable, away from the groomed slopes.
It is the challenge and the sense of mastery that keeps him engaged.
The same mindset shapes how he works.
– I like going off-piste. It’s all about reading the conditions and trusting the decisions I make along the way, he says.
More than one way of doing things
His path to Lerøy has taken him through Australia, Copenhagen and Italy. These experiences have given him a broader perspective on how decisions are made in different environments, and what actually creates results.
– I quickly learned that there isn’t just one right way of doing things.
His partner, Irene, is now Managing Director of Lerøy Italy. Together, they have built a life connected to both Norway and abroad. This has influenced how he approaches relationships and long-term collaboration, and what it takes to make things work in practice.
At the same time, not all decisions have been driven by work. When their first child was born, Håvard took eight months of paternity leave.
– I didn’t really think much about it. It just felt natural.
At the same time, it allowed Irene to stay closely engaged with her work during an important phase. Today, they both hold demanding roles, which requires careful coordination in everyday life. These are experiences he also brings into his professional role.
A long-term perspective
As part of Group Management, Håvard will have greater influence on how procurement is used across the company. He wants to make the function more visible and more closely involved in key decisions.
For him, procurement should not only support the business, but play a central role in how the company is managed and developed.
– We need to set clear expectations, but we also have to understand the people we work with.
Looking ahead, it is the long-term perspective that matters most to him.
– Reaching your targets is one thing. Making them last is another.
His ambition is to unlock more value from existing supplier relationships and to create stronger alignment between internal operations, suppliers and customers.
– If we get that right, I believe we can become an even stronger company.