MBF Leadership.

Manufacturers. Users. Battery Experts

MBF Board

MBF is led by a board consisting of 4-7 members who are elected at the annual meeting for a 1 year or 2 years term in order to ensure continuity within the board. It is within the obligations of the board to represent the activities of the MBF externally, establish a brief long term strategy plan and brief yearly action plans.

The board elects a managing director to manage the day-to-day operations of the maritime battery forum. From the start in 2014 until 2021 the role of managing director was filled by employees from DNV in a parttime position.

  • Ellen Sofie Ottesen

    BOARD CHAIR

    CTO, EDDA WIND

  • Arnstein Eknes

    BOARD MEMBER

    Director Special Ships, DNV

  • Sonja Hansen

    BOARD MEMBER

    VP, Marketing & Communications CORVUS ENERGY

  • Alf Kåre Ådnanes

    BOARD MEMBER

    Regional Division Manager Marine & Ports in AMEA, ABB

  • Karl Alexander Wirén

    BOARD MEMBER

    Vice President, Aftermarket Sales KONGSBERG MARITIME

  • Eileen Tausch

    BOARD MEMBER

    Senior Engineer R&D - CROWLEY

Meet the Team

The Maritime Battery Forum team is in charge of the day to day business at the MBF and the main point of contact for its members. Until 2021 the office of the MBF was located in Høvik, Norway, at the DNV head office. Since Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker took over in 2021 the operational office of the MBF is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The MBF is however still a Norwegian organization, with the official address in Bergen, Norway.


  • Managing Director

    After studying Marine Engineering at the Delft University of Technology, Syb joined the R&D department at Damen Shipyards where he performed research on the aging of batteries in electric vessels, developed a battery sizing and selecting method and worked on the design of many different types of battery powered vessels. In 2021 he joined the Maritime Battery Forum as managing director, focusing on the promotion of batteries in the maritime industry and supporting the sector with all battery related challenges.


  • Communications & Community Manager

    Ayomide has worked in corporate, diplomatic and humanitarian communications for the past seven years. She has spearheaded projects in education, health care, sustainable aviation, quantum technology and maritime engineering.

    She has worked as the communications and community manager for a number of organizations including the French Embassy in the Netherlands, the French Embassy in Nigeria, the International Office of Migration in Mali (IOM UN Migration),WACID, amongst others.

    She has recently joined the Maritime Battery Forum as a Community Manager, focusing on strategic and visual communications to build and foster connections within the forum.

Get in Touch

We are all about sustainable solutions in the Maritime Industry. Want to join us? Need help in your company’s transition? Send us a message and the MBF team will schedule a meeting to discuss your needs.

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