The Board of Directors
LH2 Shipping’s Board of Directors brings together broad strategic, operational and commercial experience from the maritime, energy and industrial sectors. With deep global expertise across vessel development, large-scale project execution, regulation, business development and first-mover deployment of zero-emission technologies, the Board provides strong guidance for scaling practical and bankable zero emission solutions for shipping.
Lars Jacob Engelsen
Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors
Lars Jacob Engelsen is an innovation-driven business leader and maritime industry executive with extensive experience in strategy, finance, commercial development, and industrial transformation. Holding degrees in Finance, Economics, and Strategic Management, he has played a central role in advancing Norway’s position as a global frontrunner in zero-emission maritime transport.
Engelsen was instrumental in the transformation of Norled, contributing to the commercial and strategic development behind the world’s first fully electric ferry, MF Ampere (2015), and the world’s first liquid-hydrogen-powered ferry, MF Hydra (2923). These projects demonstrated how zero-emission technologies can be combined with strong operational and financial performance while creating entirely new industrial value chains.
Before entering the maritime sector, Engelsen held senior executive and partner roles across management consulting and leading Nordic consumer brands, including Orkla, Hansa Borg, and Solera. He is also co-founder and chairperson of a nationwide retail chain.
BSc in Finance and Economics, MSc in Strategy.
Engelsen serves as Executive Chairperson of the Board, while also holding the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investor Officer.
Photo: LH2 Shipping AS.
lars@lh2shipping.no | +47 90 94 95 93 | LinkedIn
Thorbjørn Gaarden Hansen
Member of the Board of Directors
Director Newbuilding, Bergen, at SSY
Thorbjørn Gaarden Hansen is a maritime executive with over 25 years of experience across shipbroking, naval architecture, and project management. Currently serving as the Director of Newbuilding at global ship brokering firm SSY, Bergen, he is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technical engineering and high-level commercial brokerage. His expertise lies in his ability to translate complex engineering requirements into viable commercial assets, also shaped through leadership roles at Grieg Shipbrokers and as CTO and CEO of Norwind Installer.
Aditionally, his professional history includes co-founding the specialised maritime design agency Maritime Colours (now Knowit Colours), holding technical leadership roles at LMG Marin AS, and serving as Rig Coordinator at Odfjell Drilling.
B.Eng in Offshore Engineering and Naval Architecture from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Photo: Grieg Shipbrokers / SSY.
t.hansen@ssyglobal.com | +47 9004 9286 | LinkedIn
Geir Bjørkeli
Member of the Board of Directors
Partner & CEO at Nereida Nergy
Geir Bjørkeli is a maritime executive with over 30 years of international experience in sustainable innovation, shipbuilding, and maritime electrification. He currently serves as Co-founder and CEO of Nereida Energy AS, as well as CEO of Windsteel Technologies AS, where he leads initiatives in battery technology and the production of foundations for floating offshore wind.
His expertise lies at the intersection of technical engineering and global business development, with a particular focus on the green transition within the maritime sector. Additionally, his professional history includes serving as CEO of Corvus Energy during a period of significant global expansion, holding Director roles for Rolls-Royce Marine in Asia and Japan, and senior positions at Huisman and Ulstein. He is also an active board member for NCE Maritime CleanTech.
B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering from Bergen University College (HVL). Executive MBA in Shipping, Offshore and Finance from BI Norwegian Business School and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Photo: Midtsiden AS.
geir.bjorkeli@nereida.no | +47 9527 3398 | LinkedIn
Bjørn Steinhaug
Member of the Board of Directors
Partner & CIO at Peak CSL Group
Bjørn Steinhaug is one of two Co-Founders & Partners of Peak Group (now Peak CSL Group), originally known as Peak Shipping AS (2005), an internationally renowned marine logistics and shipping company headquartered in Bergen, Norway.
Steinhaug has been a driving force in growing the company from a small North Sea dry bulk operator into an international maritime group with over 250 employees.
He currently serves as the CIO and Partner, and operational efficiency, and previously had the role as the Chief Financial Officer for the group. He remains a major owner through Slethaug & Partners, holding a significant stake in the parent company even after the 2024 partnership with The CSL Group.
Prior to the Peak history, he has 5 years’ experience with chartering at Wilson Eurocarriers AS and 5 years at Tinfos Jernverk AS (ow Eramet) as shipping manager and production planner.
Educated Siv.Ing. / MSc and graduated 1995 from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway.
Photo: Peak CSL Group.
bjs@peakgroup.no | +47 9178 7680 | LinkedIn
Maria Schütz Fløisand
Member of the Board of Directors
Owner & CEO at Poppelhuset
Maria Schütz Fløisand is a maritime and energy executive with over 20 years of experience in corporate communications, sustainability (ESG), and strategic business development. As the owner and CEO of her advisory firm Poppelhuset AS, she provides senior-level management consultancy specialised in the strategic anchoring of sustainability within the maritime and renewable energy sectors. She currently serves as the Chief Communications Officer (50%) at LH2 Shipping, where she drives the company’s strategic advocacy, communication, and market positioning.
Fløisand was a foundational figure in the inception of LH2 Shipping, serving as Chair of the Board from its start-up phase until January 2025. Her professional history is defined by her ability to bridge the gap between corporate governance and operational progress, having held leadership roles such as Director of ESG & Communications at HYDS (Hydrogen Solutions) and Communications Manager for Salmon Group. Previously, she spent nearly a decade within the Grieg Group, including positions at Grieg Seafood and the Grieg Foundation.
MSc in Media and Communication Science from the University of Bergen, Norway.
Photo: Poppelhuset AS.
maria.floisand@poppelhuset.no | +47 9203 0905 | LinkedIn