The people
We have gathered the best people possible for Team Feddie. People with a deep, nerdy knowledge of whisky and gin, a passion for exploring taste and a nose for good craftsmanship.
CEO
Martin Hallberg
For over 20 years, Martin has been playing leading roles in the restaurant business and for international alcohol producers and distributors; for the past few years he was head of operations at Norway’s largest craft distillery. As such, he has a unique 360-degree perspective on the dynamics of the spirits business. This also makes him well armed to handle change.
Martin is inspirational! His leadership style creates energy and space to develop and specialise throughout our business. This motivates people. Martin is good at getting people to work well and enthusiastically side by side, as one big team. With Team Feddie he wants to put Feddie Ocean Distillery on the world map.
Head of sales and product developer
Martin Tønder Smith
Martin came to us from the Norwegian state alcohol monopoly “Vinmonopolet”, where he was senior product director for beer and spirits – categories that have seen a massive development in recent years. Martin has helped build up the market for craft spirits from domestic and overseas suppliers, including for Japanese whisky in the decade following 2006.
The island was well known to Martin. He has spent all his summers on Njøta, one of the islands on the leeward side of Fedje. he is constantly eager to explore precisely what it is that makes really great spirits into really great spirits. No doubt about it: it needs really great people. And a place full of creative energy that inspires people to think big! Like Fedje!
Distillery Manager
Andreas Hagen
Andreas took his whole family and moved to Fedje during the winter of 2022. He is our experienced distillery manager. Andreas has previously worked as operations manager at Norengros, Gustav Pedersen in Kristiansand. He has also worked as logistics manager at Sørlandschips and most recently as a part of the administration of the spirits company Det Norske Brenneri, where his specialist fields were logistics, purchasing and quality control.
Andreas is a level-headed south-coast man who likes an analytical approach to making well-thought-out decisions. When not at work, he likes to be outdoors, preferably with a fishing rod and his dog Bertil.
Head Distiller
Vicky Muir-Taylor
Vicky is a specialist in whisky production and has long experience both as distiller and brewer for well-known producers in Scotland. She came to us from the Port of Leith Distillery in Edinburgh, where she had the role of “head of yeast and fermentation”. She moved to Fedje in June 2022 to be our head distiller and to help us put Norwegian whisky on the international map. Vicky already sees many opportunities to develop the characteristics that make our whisky special. Fedje is “in the middle of nowhere”, as Vicky thought when she had the opportunity to come to Feddie’s. But it turned out to be not so far away after all, and she is now enjoying the island, nature and friendly locals and colleagues. When she’s not working she likes to play drums, go to heavy-metal concerts or to zoom about on her skateboard.
Gin distiller
Therese Storebø Østervold
Our Tessa is in love with nature and explores it in all the ways she can. She loves the angle and perspective from a kayak, both on the sea and white-water rivers. In her days of bartending, she was driven by competition and fearlessly threw herself into any challenge. The efforts took her around the world, meeting thought leaders, people with knowledge and ideas, learning craftwomanship and the art of flavours. With experience and knowledge in hand, inspired by the mesmerizing nature of Fedje, she is now making our gin.
Our experienced and patient whisky expert
Jan Groth
Jan is our whisky-man, our source of wisdom, sound advice and knowledge. He is the teams mentor. Jan is the founder of the World Whisky Forum and sits on the prestigious Advisory Panel in Scotland. And when he doesn’t have his nose buried deep into a glass of whiskey he is writing books. About food and whisky of course.
Visitor-centre Manager
Ragnhild Hagen
Ragnhild has long retail experience, and at one time helped to build up the Kitch’n chain, which has physical shops from Kirkenes in the north of Norway to Mandal in the south. She was responsible for training new leaders and for work with development, courses, personnel development, training and systems. Ragnhild likes systems and structure. She loves telling good stories and giving people experiences, just as a distillery tour should be. She is wholehearted and enthuses about Feddie as a tourist destination, its female ownership and spirits.
At home, Ragnhild loves experimenting with tastes, preferably involving fresh seafood produce. She finds her new life, as of 2022, to be blissful: close to nature in the raw and everything that island life has to offer.
Finance Manager
Sissel Berven
Sissel lives in Bergen with her family of five plus a dog. Sissel has been travelling to Fedje all her life: her mother comes from there and her grandfather and great-grandfather were fishermen, while her grandmother worked at the factory. She has a real heart for entrepreneurship. All this makes Fedje and Feddie the perfect job combination. Sissel loves the outdoor life, mountain walking and family life with her musician-husband and three children. She also helps to run Evans jazz club in Bergen.
Sissel trained as a chartered “civil economist” (5-year business degree) at the NHH Business School, and has been working since 2003. Sissel has long experience of financial management and financial leadership, but has also worked a great deal in marketing, wide-appeal concepts and strategic planning.
Head of marketing and events
Sue Janne Alsaker
Sue Janne was born and brought up on Fedje, but wanted to go out and explore the world. Now she is back and wants to take Fedje out into the world. Along the way, she took a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at the University of Canberra in Australia. During her 11 years as director of communications for Bergen National Opera she helped build up the opera company to a high international level. Sue Janne knows what it takes to succeed with events that will delight the public. We have the highest expectations of Sue Janne’s plans for Fedje in terms of stage and events. Creating good experiences together and good encounters with other people; this is where we find her passion. While relaxing between accomplishments she is generally found sitting on her own bit of the Fedje quayside - ideally with her husband and good friends, crab meat and a G & T. She enjoys the good life on Fedje – “my little paradise”, as she calls the island.
Project Manager
Siri Pettersen
Siri is project manager for property, working to develop Destination Fedje. Her most powerful motivation is to help bring about our social mission to give Fedje a new lease of life and reverse the shrinking population into growth. She has been learning throughout her career in public administration, leadership and organisational psychology. After six years as Assistant Director of Bergen Prison, she was let out on good behaviour in 2008. This was followed by twelve years as Chief Executive of the Suldal and Øygarden Local Authority. So we are in very good hands with thoughts of creating growth and bringing about development and new opportunities in a district such as Fedje. Siri lives on Fedje and loves the island’s ocean, weather, temperament and the opportunity to catch large cod. She also sings in a choir: Siri has a clear voice that carries well and is good to listen to. She works like a mule, loves challenges and is a leader with a big heart for everyone on her team.
Feddie's Board of Directors
Annette Malm Justad
Annette has more than 25 years experience from industry and shipping, including Norsk Hydro and Yara.
She has significant experience as both chairwoman of the board and board member in both listed, unlisted and public companies. She is an engineer with a master of science in technology management. And when she doesn't work, Annette loves to spend time by the sea or in the mountains, with friends and family.
Chairwoman of the board
Anne Koppang
Anne is the founder and principal shareholder in Feddie Ocean Distillery. She is "siviløkonom" and accredited business leader with 35 years experience from the restaurant business. She started a successful restaurant business back in 1986 with two friends, and is also co-owner in a the acknowledged jewellery chain, David-Andersen. She is also experienced from the wine and spirits business, being a passionate sommelier herself.
Founder and Board member