Some Major Changes at the Head of Freight and Logistics Group Lead the Week's Shipping Staff News

WORLDWIDE – Several changes at the top of the GAC freight and logistics group starting with Erland Ebbersten, formerly Group Vice President for the Africa, Russia, and Central Asia regions has assumed responsibility as Group Vice President – Marine, heading the newly established Marine region covering Abu Dhabi, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. He will be based in Abu Dhabi.

Thomas Okbo, previously Company Manager of GAC Hong Kong, takes over as Group Vice President for Africa region (AFR). Russia, which previously fell under the Africa, Russia and Central Asia region and now forms part of GAC’s Europe region. Former Finance Manager Maria Lam takes over from Okbo as GAC Hong Kong’s Company Manager.

Lars Bergström, formerly Group Vice President of the Middle East region, takes over as Group Vice President for the Asia Pacific Region, Indian subcontinent region, including Pakistan. He is replaced as Group Vice President – Middle East by Fredrik Nyström, previously Group Vice President of the Asia Pacific region.

Mikko Wieru, who previously headed GAC Qatar will assume the helm as Company Manager of GAC Marine Abu Dhabi. He will be replaced as GAC Qatar Company Manager by Daniel Nordberg who served in the same role in Oman. Johan Fulke takes the reigns at GAC Oman, after his time as Company Manager of GAC Marine Abu Dhabi.

Joel Domingo has been appointed Company Manager for GAC Philippines. He replaces Jake Cuerva who served as Managing Director for many successful years with the GAC Group, and who remains as GAC’s partner and Chairman of the GAC Philippines Board.

Lukas Jönsson, formerly Business Development Manager with GAC Sweden, has taken over from Mats Boberg as Company Manager. Boberg remains with the company until his retirement at the end of 2016, focusing on project related matters.

GERMANY – Hapag-Lloyd has announced Nicola Gehrt has joined its Supervisory Board, replacing Horst Baier, whose tenure expired at the end of the company’s recent AGM. Karl Gernandt and Rainer Klemmt-Nissen, whose tenures likewise expired, were confirmed as members of the Supervisory Board for another term.

GERMANY – Eurogate Group has appointed Ulrike Riedel to the Group Management Board of Eurogate as its new HR Director. Riedel will take up her position on the Group Management Board with effect from March 1, 2017. In her new role, she will assume responsibility for HR, Legal Affairs, Purchasing and Auditing.

GERMANY – Peter Gerber will lead Lufthansa Cargo as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board for another five years. The company’s Supervisory Board agreed an early extension of his contract to April 30, 2022.

UK – Simon Barham has left his role as Director of the UK Ship Register having only started in the newly created position in February. The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) has appointed Assistant Director for Business Improvement and Assurance Richard Pellew on an interim basis until a successor can be found.

UK – Human Rights at Sea has announced that Rachel Sexton, a partner at Ernst & Young, has joined the charity as a Trustee.

UK – B&H Worldwide has named Gillian Haythornthwaite to the position of Non-Executive Director, HR.

UK – Air Partner has announced Alexander Katsouris as Business Development Manager in the Freight Division. Based at the company’s UK headquarters at Gatwick, Katsouris will report directly to Mike Hill, Director of Freight.

UK – Seko Logistics has named Michael Christensen as President of its new Service-as-a-Software division and CEP of International Supply Chain Solutions. He joins Seko from his former role as Global Head of Forwarding at Damco International. This new appointment will see Tom Madzy, Seko’s Chief Information Officer, continuing to take an active sales support role for the company’s SaaS division while also enabling him to focus on the Seko’s systems development and infrastructure to support its growing global logistics business.

UK – AUSTRALIA – Virgin Atlantic Cargo has promoted Claire Phillips to the role of Regional Sales Manager – Continental Europe, effective September 5. Phillips has worked for the airline for five years and immediately prior to the new role, she played an integral role in the training and development of the customer service team.

In her new role, she will be responsible for revenue and budget attainment in Continental Europe, working closely with Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s customers in the region and will also be the direct contact for the airline’s 17 GSA partners in Continental Europe, based at Virgin Atlantic Cargo's headquarters close to London Gatwick Airport.

Over in Australia, Phillippa Palmer is Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s newly-appointed Regional Sales Manager for Australia & New Zealand. Palmer joined the airline’s cargo team in 2010 from Virgin Atlantic’s passenger contact centre in Sydney and has since held both customer service and account management roles.

AUSTRALIA – The Western Australia Government has announced the appointment of Richard Sellers as Director General of the Department for Transport, effective September 12. He replaces Reece Waldock who retired July 29. Sellers is currently the DG at the Department of Mines and Petroleum, a position he has held since 2009.

CHINA – China COSCO has announced several changes to its senior management team as the merger between China Shipping and COSCO continues. China COSCO Holdings has received the resignations of Sun Yueying and Wang Yuhang from their roles as a Non-Executive Directors, Sun Jiakang and Ye Weilong as Executive Directors. All left due to other work arrangements.

With effect from their resignations: Sun Yueying will cease to be a member of the audit committee; Sun Jiakang, the chairman of the risk management committee; Ye Weilong, a member of the remuneration committee; Wang Yuhang, a member of the risk management committee.

Wang Haimin and Zhang Wei have been proposed by the Board to be appointed as Executive Directors, and Feng Boming, Zhang Wei, and Chen Dong have been nominated to become Non-Executive Directors.

The China COSCO Holding board also announced that due to changes in job arrangements, they have received the resignations of Ma Jianhua as a Supervisor, and Gao Ping, and Zhang Li as Supervisors representing employees, all three from the Supervisory Committee.

Hao Wenyi has been nominated for the election as a Supervisor representing the Shareholders. The labour union of the Company has nominated Qian Weizhong and Fang Meng as Supervisors representing employees.

HONG KONG – Design and consultancy firm Arcadis, has announced the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Beard as Head of Transportation and Logistics Consulting, based in Hong Kong.

US – United Continental Holdings has announced Scott Kirby will take up the newly created position of President of United Airlines. Kirby will assume responsibility for United's operation, marketing, sales, alliances, network planning, and revenue management, effective immediately and report to CEO Oscar Munoz. Kirby joins United from American Airlines, where he held the title of President since the merger of American and US Airways in 2013.

US – Dupré Logistics has announced the appointments of Mike Weindel to the newly created position of Vice President of the Strategic Capacity Service group, and Bob Verret as Chief Information Officer. Weindel joins Dupré Logistics from USA Truck, and in his new role is effective immediately. Both Weindel and Verret reports to President and CEO Reggie Dupré, and are members of the company’s Executive Management team.

US – Robert Mallory has been appointed Chief Administrative Officer for Mallory Alexander International Logistics. Based at the company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, Mallory will focus on developing programs to drive company growth through expansion and acquisitions. He is a member of the fifth-generation family owning Mallory Alexander International Logistics.