Lockton bolsters aquaculture expertise with Didrik Smith appointment

Oslo, Norway - 7 July 2026: Lockton, the world's largest independent insurance brokerage, has appointed Didrik Smith as Global Practice Leader, Aquaculture, effective August 2026, bolstering its specialist capabilities in the international aquaculture broking market.

The appointment strengthens Lockton’s specialist capabilities in a rapidly expanding and increasingly vital sector and positions Lockton Norway as the centre of the business's global aquaculture capability. Smith joins Lockton from Aon, where he most recently worked with some of the world's leading salmon farming companies across major aquaculture markets. Prior to this, he spent several years at Marsh, advising aquaculture clients on insurance, risk management and risk transfer strategies.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food production industries globally and critical to future food security. Biological uncertainty, technological dependency, and shifting regulatory frameworks mean the sector is becoming markedly more complex and exposed to risks.

"I am delighted to be joining the team in Norway to lead this practice on a global scale," said Didrik Smith, commenting on his appointment. He added: "The pace of change is creating new opportunities for advisers to adapt and innovate, and we're well positioned to support clients across international markets with sharper risk insight and genuinely forward-looking solutions."

Smith's arrival gives Lockton deep biomass knowledge paired with strategic industry insight, helping move clients beyond standardized solutions towards a proactive, data-driven approach to risk strategy.

Sjur Hille Olsen, Head of Strategic Growth & Emerging Opportunities at Lockton Norway, said: “Aquaculture sector is growing fast, but the risk landscape is changing faster than the market can keep up with. By investing in specialised biomass insurance expertise, we can support clients globally from Norway.”

Øyvind Larsen, CEO of Lockton Norway said: “Smith's hire underlines our ambitions to challenge established thinking and cement Norway’s position at the heart of international aquaculture broking.”

Lockton has recently strengthened across its Nordic operations through a series of senior appointments, including Frode Stakston (COO) (opens a new window), Sjur Hille Olsen (Head of Strategic Growth & Emerging Opportunities) (opens a new window), Stein Halstensen (Biological Risk Specialist) (opens a new window), Dag Sandberg (Client Executive) (opens a new window) and Bård Poulsson (International Marine Lead) (opens a new window) over the last 12 months.