Friday, August 6, 2021

Staff Changes Announced Throughout the Transport and Logistics Sectors This Week

HR News from Around the Globe
Shipping News Feature

UK – Changes at Lloyd's Register with Mark Warner appointed as Head of Marketing for LR's Maritime Performance Services (MPS) business, which brings together LR’s professional services, fleet management, fleet optimisation and its Maritime Training Academy. Mark will be reporting to Chief Marketing Officer Philippa Charlton.

Meanwhile LR's global sustainability manager, Katharine Palmer has been appointed as the United Nations Climate Change (UNFCCC) High-Level Climate Champion’s (HLCC) Shipping Lead to support the shipping industry’s drive to decarbonisation, particularly helping accelerate the uptake of zero-carbon fuels in international shipping.

UK – Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has appointed Nick Bitel as Non-Executive Chair of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Mr Bitel has been appointed for a term of 3 years and will play a vital role in the effective strategic and operational leadership of the DVSA. He will replace Shrinivas Honap, who has served as Non-Executive Chair since he was appointed on a temporary basis in April last year.

Mr Bitel brings a wealth of leadership experience at board level and joins the DVSA from Sport England, where he had served as Chair since April 2013. He has been Chief Executive of the London Marathon since 1995.

UK – Northern Ireland bus manufacturer Wrightbus has announced the appointment of a new managing director to help continue the company’s growth. Neil Collins, a seasoned managing director and former top-level sportsman, will be running the business alongside executive chairman Jo Bamford, who rescued Wrightbus from administration in 2019, and chief executive Buta Atwal. Wrightbus now boasts more than 600 employees, up from the 50 that were in post when the business was taken over.

UK – The Pallet Network (TPN) has promoted network developer Kerry Rayner to the important role of Network Development Manager.

UK – Perishable Movements Ltd (PML) has promoted Simon Hanley to the role of Sales Manager. The global perishable cargo specialist has created the position following the company’s significant growth and in light of the business’s expansion to offer its services out of Spalding and the most recent acquisition Lympne, Kent, alongside the existing head office at Heathrow.

Hanley, who joined PML five years ago, has been promoted from his previous role as Business Development Manager. During his tenure with the business, he has acquired experience working across all aspects of the company’s air, sea, road, import and export operations. Prior to his initial appointment at PML, Hanley was working in the ambient freight forwarding sector.

The Sales Manager position will see Hanley managing a team of four and reporting directly to Sales Director Nick Finbow. He is charged with a remit of growing the Spalding and Kent facilities and further developing PML’s air freight exports, with a specific focus on companies looking to export their perishable goods to the Middle and Far East. Although based at Heathrow, Hanley will also be spending a significant amount of time at the company’s two additional sites.

UK – Watson Farley & Williams says the law firm is delighted to announce the relocation of Maritime Assets and Structured Finance Partner Simon Petch from Singapore to London. Simon joined WFW in 2006 and was based in London before he moved to Singapore in 2012. Simon's focus is on all aspects of maritime law.

His practice includes advising owners, financiers and other maritime industry participants on debt, leasing and structured finance, security, construction and conversion, sale and purchase, management and other operational and corporate aspects. He has also been involved in numerous high-profile restructuring, work-out and dispute resolution matters, as well as public placement transactions.

WORLDWIDE – The appointment of Juan Carlos Salazar of Colombia as the new Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been welcomed by FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the Global Express Association (GEA), and the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA).

Mr Salazar’s appointment, for a three-year term from August 2021, comes at a critical time for air cargo, which shares some of the challenges of the passenger industry but also faces unique difficulties in the current operating environment.

US – XPO Logistics has announced the appointment of Ravi Tulsyan as chief financial officer. Tulsyan joined the company as treasurer in 2016, and has served in the additional role of deputy chief financial officer since February 2021. He will replace CFO David Wyshner, who is leaving the company effective September 2.

In other XPO news the company has appointed four new board members, replacing directors who resigned from the XPO board to join the GXO board. The new XPO directors are:

Jason Aiken,chief financial officer of General Dynamics Corporation, and former chief financial officer of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a General Dynamics subsidiary; Mary Kissel, executive vice president and senior policy advisor with Stephens Inc., former senior advisor to the US Secretary of State, and formerly with The Wall Street Journal as a member of the Editorial Board and editorial page editor for Asia-Pacific.

Allison Landry, former senior transportation research analyst with Credit Suisse, covering the trucking, railroad, airfreight and logistics industries and Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., chief executive officer of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), and former senior executive with IAC/Interactive Corp, Viacom's Paramount Pictures and Blockbuster Entertainment Group, among others.

GREECE – Tributes were paid to Andreas Potamianos, a stalwart of the Greek cruise fleet who died this week aged 88. Leading the way was Greek shipping minister Yiannis Plakiotakis who said Potamianos was a pioneer of the industry in his country and paved the way for others to follow.

BAHRAIN – Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel, the operational arm of the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), held a change of command ceremony on board Naval Support Activity Bahrain, July 26.

British Royal Navy Commodore Gordon Ruddock relieved fellow Royal Navy Commodore Adrian Fryer as commander of CTF Sentinel in the ceremony, presided over by Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, US 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. Before handing over command, Fryer thanked CTF Sentinel’s team for its unwavering commitment to the critical maritime mission it serves in the region.

Photo: Lloyd’s Register’s Mark Warner and Katharine Palmer.