The application deadline for the four positions was 11 December, and a total of 28 applications were received, as reported in a news item on 15 December. Applications were invited for four of the five departments defined in the new organisational structure. One position had already been filled, as Hanna Þóra Hauksdóttir, Director of Human Resources, had previously been appointed Head of the Department of Human Resources and Communications.

Research, Monitoring and Performance

Bryndís Marteinsdóttir has been appointed Head of the Department of Research, Monitoring and Performance. Bryndís holds a BSc and MSc in Biology from the University of Iceland and a PhD in Plant Ecology from Stockholm University. She has also completed a postgraduate diploma in Public Administration from the University of Iceland.

Bryndís has extensive experience in management and sustainable land use. She has previously worked as a specialist, project manager and Head of the Department of Sustainability and Climate at the former Soil Conservation Service of Iceland, and for the past two years has served as Head of the Department of Sustainable Land Use at Land and Forest Iceland.

Operations, Finance and Digital Development

Gunnlaugur Guðjónsson has been appointed Head of the Department of Operations, Finance and Digital Development. Gunnlaugur holds a Master’s degree in International Forestry from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor’s degree in International Marketing from Reykjavík University.

Gunnlaugur has extensive experience in management, financial administration, forestry and digital development. He served for approximately 23 years as Head of the Operations Department at the Icelandic Forest Service. Since the merger of the Soil Conservation Service and the Icelandic Forest Service two years ago, Gunnlaugur has worked as Head of the Department of Data, Communications and Innovation at Land and Forest Iceland.

National Forests, Land and Infrastructure

Hreinn Óskarsson has been appointed Head of the Department of National Forests, Land and Infrastructure. He holds a Master’s degree in Forestry from the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Agriculture and a PhD in Forestry from the University of Copenhagen. He has also completed a postgraduate diploma in Public Administration from the University of Iceland.

Hreinn has extensive professional experience in management and forestry. His previous roles include forestry advisor, specialist at the Icelandic Forest Research and forest ranger for South Iceland. Over the past ten years, he has served as a department head—eight years at the Icelandic Forest Service and the past two years at Land and Forest Iceland as Head of the Department of National Forests and Land.

Services, Advisory and Transformation

Finally, Jónína Sigríður Þorláksdóttir has been appointed Head of the Department of Services, Advisory and Transformation. Jónína Sigríður holds a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Environment and Natural Resources from the University of Iceland. She is currently completing a PhD in Environmental Science at the Agricultural University of Iceland, which she expects to finish this winter. Her doctoral project is entitled “The Common Ground: Integration, influence and potential of stakeholder engagement for sustainable land use and ecological restoration in Iceland.”

Jónína Sigríður has been a salaried PhD candidate at the Agricultural University of Iceland. Prior to that, she worked as a project manager and director at the Rif Field Station in Raufarhöfn, at the CAFF Secretariat (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna), at the University of Iceland, and for the Nordic Council of Ministers as a research assistant. She joined Land and Forest Iceland last year as an advisor in forestry and land restoration.

As previously announced, Hanna Þóra Hauksdóttir was appointed Head of the Department of Human Resources and Communications, having served as Director of Human Resources at Land and Forest Iceland since early last year. Together with the Director General, the department heads form the institution’s Executive Board. The institution’s lawyer and communications manager also attend its meetings.

The first meeting of the new Executive Board will take place on Tuesday, 13 January. Following this meeting, a staff meeting will be convened to review the changes already implemented under the new organisational structure and to deliberate on the steps forward.

New Strategy and Organisational Structure Presented at Land and Forest Iceland