Sad Start to Freight and Logistics Appointments and Departures

US – A sad beginning to the weeks appointments and departures in the world of freight and logistics with the announcement by the Journal of Commerce of the death of its former Maritime Intelligence Editor, Ronald J. ‘Pee’ Spina, who died at his home in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania at the age of 74. Spina retired from the JOC in 2002 having worked for the Journal for his entire professional career. The family had also lost George Jr., Ron’s brother, who passed away earlier on the same day.

UK – Allseas Global Logistics has announced the appointment of industry specialist Terry Churchill as its new General Manager, based in the UK. Churchill, a highly respected specialist, brings to Allseas 35 years’ experience in the international forwarding, freight and logistics industry. He will report directly to Darren Wright, Allseas Global Logistics’ founder and Managing Director.

UK – Captain Claus Hyldager has decided to step down as the Chief Executive Officer of Inchcape Shipping Services. The current Chief Financial Officer, Chris Whiteside, has been appointed as acting Chief Executive Officer.

DENMARK – Norden has announced that it is to streamline and simplify its management structure effective immediately. Norden has decided to combine a number of management functions and reduce the Executive Management team from 5 to 3 members, which will see the Executive Management team consist of CEO Jan Rindbo, CFO Martin Badsted and Executive Vice President Ejner Kiel Bonderup. As a consequence, CFO Michael Tønnes Jørgensen and Executive Vice President Lars Bagge Christensen will resign.

Responsibility for the Finance Department, Investor Relations and Corporate Secretariat will be combined under Executive Vice President Martin Badsted, who will be appointed CFO.

At the same time, responsibility for sale & purchase as well as long-term charter procurement will be combined in a new unit, Asset Management, covering both Dry Cargo and Tankers. The responsibility for the Asset Management will be held by Henrik Lykkegaard Madsen, head of the Projects Department, who will be appointed Senior Vice President.

The commercial operation of Norden’s tanker fleet continues without changes in the Norient Product Pool under the management of pool CEO Søren Huscher.

FINLAND – Nina Kopola has resigned from the Board of Directors of Konecranes, over possible conflicts of interest that could arise from her position as a Board member of the Metso Corporation, a competitor of the Terex Corporation. Konecranes and Terex just announced plans to merge the two companies.

FINLAND – SWEDEN – Wärtsilä’s Board of Directors has appointed Jaakko Eskola, as the new President and CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation. He will assume the position on November 1, succeeding Björn Rosengren, who will become the CEO of Sandvik, a global engineering group based in Sweden.

Currently based in Shanghai, China, Eskola has been Senior Executive Vice President and Deputy to the CEO since 2013, and President, Marine Solutions since 2006. A search for Eskola's replacement is currently underway.

US – Con-way Multimodal has named Michael Kucinski as Director of Sales, based at the company’s Ann Arbor, Michigan office.

US – Edward Bowersox has joined DSC Logistics as Senior Vice President, Customer Strategy. He recently retired from Kimberly-Clark after a career spanning 32 years in various assignments with increasing responsibility in Logistics, Operations and Global Supply Chain Management. The company has also appointed Kate Daly as its new Vice President, Human Resources.

US – The Celadon Group has announced two changes to its Executive team, all effective immediately. Paul Will has been appointed Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, having previously served as CEO, President, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Eric Meek has been appointed President and COO having previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

US – Bluff Manufacturing has appointed Lane Moss as its new Vice President of Operations

US – Chicago Freight Car Leasing has announced the promotion of Larry Abraham from Senior Portfolio Manager to Director of Fleet Operations.

US – The Bomin Group has announced the appointment of Chris Nelson as its Vice President for Supply and Operations in North America, based at the company’s Houston, Texas office.

CHINA – Titus Diu, the former Chief Operating Officer of Air China Cargo, the joint venture cargo carrier of Air China and Cathay Pacific Airways, has been named General Manager China with responsibility for overseeing the business and operations of both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair in Mainland China.

INDIA – Oliver Bohm will be the new CEO of Schenker India, replacing Reiner Allegeier, who has taken up a new role elsewhere in the company. Before taking up his role in India, Bohm held the responsibility of Vice President – Sales & Key Account Management in the Regional Head Office at Singapore.