Williksen is one of aquaculture’s most experienced executives, having served as CEO of Akva group, SalMar and Benchmark Holdings, where he led the company through its transition to private ownership earlier this year.
“Trond has operated at every level – from farming and technology to genetics and fish health – and that breadth is rare,” said Stian Rognlid, CEO of Aquaticode, in a press release. “As AI phenotyping becomes part of everyday operations, his insight into how farmers decide and invest will be invaluable. His experience will help us turn innovation into consistent improvements on the farm and bring phenotype intelligence into standard practice across the industry.”
Aquaticode says that the appointment marks another step in the company’s expansion from pioneering projects to large-scale deployments. Its patented SORTpro system, launched in 2023, combines advanced imaging, deep-learning AI and robotics to identify traits and sort tens of thousands of fish per hour.
“I’m joining Aquaticode because this team is creating real biological and commercial impact,” said Trond Williksen. “AI phenotyping gives farmers new visibility into fish traits that directly affect survival, welfare and performance. With better selection, Norway’s target of reducing sea mortality from around 16 percent toward 5 percent isn’t just theoretical – it’s achievable. That’s an impact worth pursuing, and Aquaticode is in a strong position to make it happen.”
Having already scanned tens of millions of fish and partnered with several of the world’s top-10 salmon farmers, Aquaticode says it “is showing how phenotype intelligence can deliver measurable improvements in welfare, efficiency, and growth across the industry”.
Wiliksen joins a board of advisors that includes Einar Wathne, former CEO of Cargill’s aquaculture division.
“I have watched Aquaticode’s technology evolve from proof-of-concept to real-scale deployment, and Trond’s addition strengthens our ability to bring phenotype intelligence into everyday use on the farm. The combination of empirical scale data and deep sector leadership now gives farmers confidence to invest and adopt,” said Wathne.
