All Change at the Top as Latest Logistics Appointments Announced

US – XPO Logistics has announced that Alex Santoro, who joined the company earlier this year, has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately, in addition to serving as Executive Vice President, Operations.

US – The Board of Directors of American Trucking Associations (ATA) elected Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, President and CEO of Garner Transportation Group, as the 76th Chair of the industry association. Garner Brumbaugh succeeds Randy Guillot, President of Triple G Express and Southeastern Motor Freight.

US – The Port of Oakland has named Robert Bernardo its Acting Communications Director beginning November 10. Bernardo, the Port’s Media/Public Relations Manager, replaces Communications Director Mike Zampa who retires next month.

US – The Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL) has announced Dennis Lombardi as its new President effective January 1, 2021. Lombardi replaces Steven Blust, who will be retiring from his role but will stay on with IICL as a Senior Advisor.

US – Union Pacific has announced that Jim Vena, Chief Operating Officer, will move to a new role at the end of this year. The company also announced Eric Gehringer will succeed Vena as Executive Vice President-Operations, effective January 1, 2021, while Vena will remain employed at the company as senior advisor through June 2021.

US – The New York Shipping Exchange (NYSHEX) has announced Bryan Most as its new Senior Vice President of Retail. Most recently served as Vice President of Transport at Walmart.

GREECE – Performance Shipping has announced the appointment of Andreas Michalopoulos to the position of Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of Symeon Palios. Anthony Argyropoulos has been named to the position of Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Michalopoulos in that capacity. Palios will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors. 

Michalopoulos has served as the Company’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer since 2019 and as its Chief Financial Officer since the Company’s formation in 2010

NORWAY – Jon Fredrik Baksaas, the former CEO of Telenor, has been appointed as DNV GL’s new Chair of the board. Although best known for his thirteen-year tenure as CEO and President of the telecoms firm, Baksaas started his career with DNV (as it was then known) and spent six years at the company before leaving in 1985. He has also served as member of the DNV Council for 12 years. 

Current board member Lasse Kristoffersen, CEO and President of Torvald Klaveness Group, will take over as Vice Chair. He has been a member of the board since 2017 and previously spent eleven years working for DNV GL.

In addition, two new people will join the board. Ingvild Sæther is the President and CEO of Altera Infrastructure (formerly known as Teekay Offshore) and was part of the oil and gas industry’s representation on the DNV council. Christian Venderby will bring experience from the renewable energy sector to the board. He has spent almost fifteen years with wind experts Vestas, and is currently its Executive Vice President, Service and previously held the roles of CFO and COO.

Leif-Arne Langøy will step down as Chair of the Board, a position he has held since 2011, and has also decided not to stand for re-election to the Board.

DENMARK – Danny Lange and Eric Aboussouan have been named to ZeroNorth's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Lange is Senior Vice President of Artificial Intelligence at Unity, and previously served in executive posts at Microsoft. Aboussouan is Director of Strategy and Digitalisation at Cargill Ocean Transportation.

ISRAEL – ZIM Integrated Shipping Services announced today the appointment of Yair Seroussi as ZIM’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. He replaces Aharon Fogel, who is stepping down after serving more than six years as the company’s Chairman.

TAIWAN – Lin Shih Ying (Nana Lin) has been named as the Managing Director for Geodis in Taiwan.

INDIA – Shashi Kiran Shetty, Chair, Allcargo Logistics and Gati, has been appointed by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, as the Chairman of the Society and Board of Governors (BoG) of the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE). Shetty’s tenure with NITIE will start from November 7 for a period of four years

ASIA – MGH Logistics has announced the appointment of Eom Cheolwon as its new Regional Managing Director covering Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Effective since October 1, Eom is based out of MGH Indo-Chine, and Korea regional headquarters at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Eom previously held roles at Ceva Logistics, DB Schenker, and at CJ Korea managing supply chain services for large Korean Global brands.

Photo: Alex Santoro, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President, Operations, at XPO Logistics.