Some Very Major Changes in Transport Sector as Freight and Logistics Personnel Move On

US – Firstly the biggest staff change to affect the global freight and logistics sector will certainly be the news that President Barack Obama nominated Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor, Anthony Foxx as the new Transportation Secretary replacing outgoing Secretary Ray LaHood, who announced in January, that he is to step down from his role. As a council member, Foxx chaired the Transportation Committee where he led improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure. In nominating Foxx, President Obama said:

"Since Anthony took office, they’ve broken ground on a new streetcar project that’s going to bring modern electric tram service to the downtown area. They’ve expanded the international airport. And they’re extending the city’s light rail system. So I know Anthony’s experience will make him an outstanding Transportation Secretary.

"We need to modernise the infrastructure that powers our economy. We need more high-speed rail, and bridges, and tunnels, and ports that help us ship products all around the world stamped with three proud words: Made in America. That’s how we’re going to attract more businesses. That’s how we’re going to create more jobs. That’s how we’re going to stay competitive in this global economy."

WORLDWIDE – Oliver Evans, Chief Cargo Officer of Swiss WorldCargo, and Enno Osinga, Senior Vice President Cargo, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, have been elected as the new Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA). Both with serve their respective roles for a two-year term.

Evans, who has held the post of Vice Chairman for the last two years, succeeds Michael Steen, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc., who took over as TIACA Chairman in 2010.

WORLDWIDE – GERMANY – Two Panalpina Air Freight executives have been elected to the boards of two global air cargo associations. Panalpina’s Global Head of Air Freight Lucas Kuehner joins the board of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and Jeannette Goeldi, who is globally responsible for the company’s standards and governance in the Air Freight division, joins the board of Cargo 2000 (C2K).

WORLDWIDE – UK – V. Group has announced an expansion of its Executive Team which came into effect from April 2. Two new roles have been created within the V.Group Corporate team with Bob Bishop (previously Group Director, Ship Management) becoming Executive Director and appointed to the V.Group Main Board and Andrea Zito, whilst continuing to maintain a strong presence with the company’s leisure brand, becomes Group Director Technical.

A new business unit has been created in the offshore and energy sector, led by Lawrie Campbell, who was appointed Group Director, Offshore.

Keith Parsons, in his role of Group Director Asia, will focus fully on expansion in the Asia Region in future and therefore with effect from April 2013, Faye Carson has become Group Director, HR, responsible for leading the V. Group’s people agenda. To improve focus on crew management, Simon Pressly has assumed the important role of Group Director, Crew Management, leading the previous Manpower Business Unit working very closely with Matt Dunlop, who has been promoted to Group Director, Ship Management (taking over from Bishop) and ensuring continuity for ship management clients in this area.

With Pressly moving to a role in Crew Management, Group Commercial Director, Andrea Sessa, will widen his role to include merger and acquisition activity and special projects. Martin Stafford and Elliot Gow will continue to focus on their existing areas of Marine Services and Ship Supply Chain respectively and Roberto Giorgi continues in his non-executive advisory role to the Group CEO.

AUSTRIA – Gebrüder Weiss has announced Benjamin Schatzl as its new Product Manager, Seafreight. Schatzl will be responsible for the service portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region. He will report to Vojislav Jevtic, Global Product Manager Seafreight.

RUSSIA – It has been reported Vaninskiy morskoy torgovyi port (Vanino commercial seaport) OAO has dismissed Sergey Vladimirovich Molozhavyi as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

WEST EUROPE – Helmut Kaspers has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for Damco’s West Europe Region. In addition to his new role, Kaspers will continue to act as non-executive director of the board of TAL International (USA), a container leasing company, a role he commenced during his sabbatical in 2012.

UK – Stewart Oades has handed over the presidency of the Freight Transport Association to Ian Veitch, Managing Director of Yusen Logistics UK, following FTA's National Council meeting in London earlier last month. Stewart Oades steps down after completing a four year term as FTA President.

NORTH AMERICA – Vitran Corporation Inc has announced the appointment of Bill Deluce, a current member of the Board, as interim President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following the resignation of Rick Gaetz as President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company, effective since the beginning of the last month. The Board will immediately commence a search to hire a permanent President and Chief Executive Officer. The company also announced that David McClimon has joined Vitran's Board of Directors.

NEW ZEALAND – The Board of Northland Port Corporation (NZ) announced the appointment of Graham Wallace to the position of CEO, effective April 24. Wallace was appointed Interim Chief Executive in May 2012, after Northland Port Corporation’s General Manager Jim Smillie announced his retirement.

JAPAN – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (MOL) has announced a series of changes of its senior staff, subject to approval at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on June 21. On the Board of Directors, current Senior Managing Executive Officer, Kazuhiro Sato, will be appointed Representative Director with the current Representative Director, Toshitaka Shishido taking the position of Executive Adviser.

Managing Executive Officers Junichiro Ikeda and Masahiro Tanabe have been appointed as Directors. The current Directors, Masafumi Yasuoka and Shugo Aoto will assume the roles of Advisor and President of MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd., respectively. General Manager of Investor Relations Office, Takehiko Ota, is to take on the role of Corporate Auditor, with his predecessor, Junichi Narita, assuming the role of Director, Managing Executive Officer of Daibiru Corporation.

The group has also appointed Hideo Horiguchi, General Manager of Accounting Division, Akio Mitsuta, General Manager of Tanker Division, and General Manager of Human Resources Division Koichi Yashima as Executive Officers. MOL has also announced a series of promotions in to its Executive Board, with Kazuhiro Sato also appointed as Executive Vice President Executive Officer.

Managing Executive Officers Kenichi Nagata and Junichiro Ikeda have both been promoted to Senior Managing Executive Officers with current Executive officers Masaaki Nemoto and Toshiya Konishi taking the roles of Managing Executive Officers.

Current Senior Managing Executive Officer, Soichi Hiratsuka is to take the position as President of MOL Marine Consulting, Ltd. Current Managing Executive Officer, Makoto Yamaguchi has been appointed as Executive Adviser with Executive Officers Kazunori Nakai and Hiroyuki Fukumoto taking the roles of President of MOL Ferry Co. Ltd., and Managing Director of MOL Ferry Co. Ltd., respectively.

BERMUDA -The Board of Frontline Ltd, one of the world’s largest tanker groups, announced that Miss Cecile Fredriksen and Mr. Tony Curry resigned from their positions as Directors of the company but will continue to be Board members in other related group companies. Simultaneously the appointment of Georgina Sousa as a Director was announced to fill one of the vacancies on the Board. Mrs. Sousa joined Frontline as Head of Corporate Administration in 2007 and is also a Director of Golar LNG Limited, Golden Ocean Group Limited and Frontline 2012 Ltd.

Photo: Anthony Foxx, incoming US Transport Secretary.