Speaker

Karl Birgir Björnsson is the CEO and co-founder of Hefring Marine, an Icelandic company that develops intelligent systems for optimizing and analyzing vessel operations. His industry journey began in 2017 as Head of Business Development for the Icelandic boat builder Rafnar, where he was responsible for establishing and managing customer relationships and leading efforts to secure licensing and franchising agreements for the company’s unique vessel hull designs and brand in multiple markets. In 2019, he co-founded Hefring Marine with Magnús Þór Jónsson and Björn Jónsson, following their research on impact and vibration exposure in high-speed boats, aiming to provide operators with tools to prevent injuries through decision-support systems that could be applied across platforms. Before entering the maritime industry, he worked as a senior financial analyst in Corporate Development for a NASDAQ-listed medical device company, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.