Personnel

Valdimar Armann is the Head of Asset Management at Arctica Finance. He has extensive experience in the field of financial markets and started working 1999 in Bunadarbanki Verdbref in Iceland. He worked as a senior inflation structurer at ABN AMRO in London from 2003-2006 and then as Head of Inflation Products USA at ABN AMRO in New York from 2006-2008 until moving to RBS in Greenwich trading inflation derivatives. From 2009 Valdimar worked at GAMMA Capital Management as fund manager and Head of funds, and since 2017 as CEO until 2019. Valdimar has a degree in BSc Economics from University of Iceland and MSc in Financial Engineering from ICMA Centre, University of Reading. He has published several articles and co-authored reports as well as speaking at conferences such as Euromoney.

Jón Þór Sigurvinsson is a managing director and one of the founders of Arctica Finance. Jón Þór was employed by Landsbankinn‘s Corporate Advisory from 2007-2008. From 2005-2007, Jón Þór was employed by the Investment firm Straumborg, where he was responsible for the firm‘s investments in the energy sector in addition to managing proprietary trading. From 2004-2005 Jón Þór was employed by the National Nuclear Energy Association of France, CEA. Jón Þór holds M.Sc. degree in Energy Engineering from Université Joseph Fourier in France, B.Sc. in Mechanical- and Industrial Engineering from the University of Iceland and B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Iceland and is a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Andri Ingason is a specialist in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Andri joined Arctica Finance in 2018, previously he worked at Landsbankinn where he worked in Personal Banking. Andri holds a BSc degree in Business Administration from Reykjavík University and a BA degree in Law from Reykjavík University, he is as well a certified securities broker in Iceland. Andri was on the board of several student organisations and held key positions within them. He was the Treasurer of the Business and Economics Student's Association at Reykjavík University and Fundraising Manager of the National Union for Icelandic Students.

Birta María Birnisdóttir is a specialist in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Birta worked at the insurance company Sjóvá in recent years along with her studies and was an intern in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Birta joined Arctica in 2023 after she received a B.Sc. degree in Economics and Finance from Reykjavik University.  

Dagur Andrason is a specialist in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Dagur joined Arctica during the summer of 2023 after graduating from the University of Iceland with a B.Sc. degree in Industrial Engineering. Along with his studies Dagur worked in the loan division of Arion bank and prior to that he worked at the business growth center Gróska where he handled various projects pertaining to the operations and financing of a large real estate property.

Grétar is a specialist in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Previously he worked in Corporate Finance at GAMMA Capital Management and before that in Corporate Advisory at PwC. Grétar has a Masters in Finance from Lund University in Sweden and B.SC. in Financial Engineering from Reykjavik University. He holds a certified brokerage license in Iceland.

Gunnar Jóhannesson is a managing director and one of the founders of Arctica Finance. Gunnar began working for Landsbankinn‘s Corporate Advisory in 2004, prior to that he was a business consultant and a partner at IMG and Deloitte. Gunnar has been involved in a substantial amount of projects involving the acquisition or sale of companies. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iceland, M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Denmark's Tekniske Universitet and is a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Hildur Sveinbjörnsdóttir is a specialist in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Hildur joined Arctica in 2022. Previously she worked as a specialist in the Strategy and Transactions team at EY.

Hildur holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Iceland as well as a M.Fin degree from the same school.

Indriði Sigurðsson joined Arctica Finance's Corporate Finance in 2015. Previously he had been playing 16 years as a professional footballer in Norway and Belgium. He holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration and Management from the University College of Southeast Norway and is currently finishing an MBA with specialism in Finance at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School. He is as well a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Rut Kristjánsdottir is a specialist in the Corporate Finance team at Arctica Finance. Rut joined Arctica Finance in 2021. Previously Rut worked as a responsible investment specialist in Institutional Asset Management at Arion bank from 2019-2021. Prior to that, she worked in Financial Advisory at Deloitte Iceland from 2017-2019 where she worked on due diligence projects within diverse sectors, both on vendor due diligence as well as post transactional due diligence.

Rut holds a B.Sc. degree in Business Administration from Reykjavik University and is a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Þórbergur Guðjónsson joined Arctica Finance’s Corporate Finance in August 2023. Previously he worked in corporate finance for Arion Bank and Kaupþing Bank for the past 16 years, i.e. from 2007. In his role there, Þórbergur led many of the IPOs managed by the banks in addition to various other projects involving M&A or financing activities of its clients. In the years 2003-2006, Þórbergur worked for Sparisjóður Mýrasýslu in i.a. lending and financing activities.  Þórbergur holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration from the University of Bifröst and an M.Sc. in Finance & Investment from the University of Edinburgh. Þórbergur is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) as well as being a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Jón Ingi Árnason is the Head of Capital Markets at Arctica Finance. He joined Arctica Finance in March 2020. Jón Ingi has worked in the financial market since 2000, first at the United Pension Fund and later as a director and securities broker at Islandsbanki, Kvika and Landsbanki Islands. From 2010 to 2015, Jón Ingi worked as a hedge fund manager at J Bond Partners and Landsbref. Jón Ingi holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Iceland and he is also a certified securities broker in Iceland.

In early 2023, Magnús Símonarson joined the Capital Markets at Arctica Finance as a fixed income broker. Magnús has worked in the financial industry in recent years along with his studies. Previously, Magnús worked in institutional asset management and pension fund operations at Arion bank. Additionally, Magnús has been an assistant teacher in the courses Microeconomics 2 and Probability and programming at the University of Iceland. Magnús holds a B.S. degree in Economics from the University of Iceland, part of which he completed at Stanford University in the USA.

Rúnar Steinn Benediktsson joined Arctica Finance's Capital Markets team in 2023, bringing in over a decade of experience in the Icelandic Financial Industry. Before, he worked as a Equities Broker at Islandsbanki from 2018 to 2023 and as a Equities Broker at Fossar Markets from 2017 to 2018. Prior to that, he was a bond broker at Islandsbanki from 2015 to 2017, and a FX broker at the same bank from 2012-2015. Rúnar holds a B.Sc. degree in Economics from the University of Iceland, an MCF degree in Corporate Finance from Reykjavik University, and is a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Sigthor Jonsson is a specialist in Capital Markets and started working at Arctica Finance in January 2023. Sigþór has over 20 years of experience in the financial markets and the renewable energy sector, including over ten years as CEO of Icelandic asset management companies, head of private equity funds and three years as a CEO of GEG geothermal. Sigthor has an MBA in structured finance and energy from EADA in Barcelona and an MSc in finance from the University of Iceland. In addition, Sigthor has completed courses from Harvard in Sustainability leadership and Private equity class from London Business School and a degree in securities trading.

Sverrir Bergsteinsson joined Arctica Finance in July 2023. Sverrir has been working in the financial market since 2006 - first as an analyst at Straumborg Investment company and later as a specialist at the Winding-up Board of Landsbankinn. In the year 2014 Sverrir started working as a fund manager at GAMMA Capital Management but joined Kvika Bank following the sale of GAMMA to Kvika. In the year 2021 Sverrir joined a fund management company called Glymur Asset Management as a fund manager of credit funds. Sverrir holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Iceland and is also a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Ægir Birgisson joined Capital Markets at Arctica Finance in August 2018. Ægir has been working in the Icelandic financial markets since 1994, first in private banking at Islandsbanki Securities and later as securities broker and director at The Icelandic Investment Bank (FBA), Straumur Investment Bank and VBS Investment Bank. From 2011 to 2018 Ægir worked independently in proprietary trading and consulting. Ægir holds a B.S. degree in finance from University of S-Alabama, MBA from Reykjavík University and is certified securities broker in the Icelandic securities market.

Stefán Þór Bjarnason is the CEO and one of the founders of Arctica Finance. Stefán was the senior manager of Landsbankinn‘s Corporate Advisory in Iceland and worked for Landsbankinn from 1999 to October 2008. During that time Stefán led, or participated in, most of the major corporate advisory projects the bank was involved in. Stefán graduated with a Cand. Jur from the University of Iceland in 1999, Admitted to the Bar as a District Court Attorney in Iceland in 2001 and is a certified securities broker in Iceland and the UK.

Bjarni Þórður Bjarnason, Deputy CEO, is one of the founders of Arctica Finance. From June 2003 to October 2008 Bjarni was the Head of Landsbanki‘s Corporate Finance department. Prior to starting at Landsbanki Bjarni was the Assistant Head of Búnaðarbanki‘s Corporate Finance and prior to that in a similar position at Gilding investment fund. Earlier in his career Bjarni was a member of Kaupþing‘s Corporate Finance team. In recent years Bjarni has offered advice to many Icelandic and international investors in M&A and capital raising. Bjarni has a C.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iceland and a MBA from the Southern Methodist University in Texas, USA.

Ólafur Þór Finsen is the general counsel and one of the founders of Arctica Finance. Ólafur has worked in the financial sector since 1999, first in Búnaðarbanki Íslands hf. from 1999 and later Landsbanki Íslands hf. from June 2003. During this time Ólafur has participated in many of the major Icelandic corporate advisory projects. Ólafur graduated with a Cand. Jur from the University of Iceland in 1998 and is a certified securities broker in Iceland.

Berglind Gretarsdóttir has a BS degree from California State University Long Beach in Operational Management. Berglind worked at Íslandsbanki 1989-2007 as a department manager in Operations and in Accounting. Berglind was an employee at Saga Investment bank from 2009-2011. Berglind also attended design and art classes at the Industrial College of Hafnarfjörður during the years 2007-2009.

Fridrik Magnusson is the CEO of A/F Rekstraradili hf., a subsidiary of Arctica Finance, which is registered with the Central Bank of Iceland‘s Financial Supervisory Authority as an Alternative Investment Fund Management. Fridrik has vast experience in the financial sector. Fridrik was the Head of Asset Management at Arctica Finance from 2010 until 2020. He has worked as a portfolio manager at Glitnir Private Banking and Pension Fund of Commerce from 2005-2010. Fridrik was the Managing Director of Islandsbanki Mutual Funds from 2002-2005 and was the Executive Director of Islandsbanki Asset Management from 1998-2002. Fridrik holds a MBA degree from the University of Reykjavik (2010) and Cand. oecon degree from the University of Iceland (1994), as well as being a certified broker.

Vanesa Hoti is a specialist at A/F Rekstraraðili hf. in fund management. Vanesa used to work as specialist at Arctica Finance Asset Management. Vanesa holds a B.Sc. degree in business administration from University of Iceland and is a Certified securities broker in Iceland.