Vilhelm Már Þorsteinsson, CEO of Eimskip, received the 2026 Stjórnvísi Management Award in the category Executive of the Year earlier this week. The award is presented annually to leaders who have excelled in their field. Its purpose is to promote progress and strengthen professional dialogue on management and leadership in Iceland.
At the ceremony, the awards committee delivered its formal statement about the award recipients, and the President of Iceland, Ms. Halla Tómasdóttir, presented the award.
The statement said:
„Since taking office, he has focused on modernizing the company’s culture through a variety of means to ensure the company is well-positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow. Most recently, he led a strategy development process that was done entirely within the company and ensured active participation from employees across the business. The result is a clear and compelling strategy that will support the business moving forward.“
A total of five awards were presented in three categories and the holders, besides Vilhelm are as follows:
In the middle management category, Óttar Örn Sigurbergsson, CEO of ELKO, and Helga Halldórsdóttir, Head of Human Resources at Arion Bank. In the entrepreneur category, Þór Sigfússon, founder and chairman of the board of the Icelandic Ocean Cluster. In addition, Rannveig Rist, CEO of Rio Tinto in Iceland, received a special honorary award for her contribution to management.
The selection committee consisted of:
- Salóme Guðmundsdóttir, chair of the jury, CEO of Ísorka and chairman of the board of directors of Kadeco.
- Borghildur Erlingsdóttir, CEO of Hugverkastofun.
- Gylfi Dalmann Aðalsteinsson, professor at the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Iceland.
- Hermann Björnsson, CEO of Sjóvá.
- Katrín S. Óladóttir, former CEO of Hagvangur.
- Margrét Guðmundsdóttir, former CEO of Icepharma and board member.
- Þröstur Olaf Sigurjónsson, professor at the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Iceland.
The committee secretary is Gunnhildur Arnardóttir, CEO of Stjórnvísi.