Staff Movements in the Freight, Shipping and Logistics Sectors

WORLDWIDE – Starting this week’s staff movements in the freight shipping sector is Max Sauberschwarz, Global Head of Carrier and Gateway Air Logistics at Kuehne + Nagel, who has taken over as Chairman of Cargo 2000. Sauberschwarz succeeds Mattijs ten Brink, who has stepped down after moving from his post as Senior Vice President Sales & Distribution for Air France-KLM Cargo to become CEO of the Dutch airline Transavia.

Air France-KLM Cargo has confirmed that Gijsbert Woelders, Vice President Operations, will take over as the airline’s Cargo 2000 representative.

Having held the post of Vice Chairman of Cargo 2000 for the last three years, Sauberschwarz will act as Chairman until the AGM of Cargo 2000 in Los Angles in March 2014 when the Board of Directors will formally elect a new Chairman and Vice Chairman.

CHINA – THE AMERICAS – Mitsui OSK Lines has announced a series of organisational changes and senior appointments. As of June 21, TK Konishi has taken over as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MOL Liner, succeeding Junichiro Ikeda, who remains as Chairman of MOL Liner. Capt. Hidetoshi Ito has been promoted to Executive Vice President of MOL Liner and continues to be responsible for Ship Management and Marine Operation.

Transatlantic & Europe-Africa Trade Management will remain in the Netherlands under the supervision of Colin de Souza, Senior Vice President (SVP); and Latin America Trade Management will remain in the US led by Tsunemichi Mukai, Vice President. All of the Trade Management and the Global function heads report to Yutaka Hinooka, Chief Operating Officer, who reports to Konishi.

Effective August 1, 2013, the Transpacific Trade Management will be moved to MOL Liner Headquarters in Hong Kong under the leadership of Rich Hiller, who will be promoted from SVP to Executive Vice President of MOL Liner. Toshihiko Sato, Senior Manager will also relocate to Hong Kong. In addition to his responsibilities in Latin America, Mukai will lead a team in the US and both he and Sato will report to Hiller.

Additionally, MOL (America) Inc. will change some Transpacific Trade Management assignments. Tom Smart, currently the Assistant Vice President, Transpacific Export Trade Management, will become the Assistant Vice President, Transpacific Trade Pricing. Lincoln Pei, currently the Assistant Vice President, Refrigerated Services, will become the Assistant Vice President, Transpacific Westbound Trade Management. Jim Boyer, currently the Assistant Vice President, Transpacific Trade Pricing, will become the Assistant Vice President, for Refrigerated Services. All three will report to Mukai.

On July 1, a new Global Marketing & Communications Team was set up under Liner Marketing and Sales. Reporting to Rick Kimura, SVP, the new team will provide overall direction and guidance on global tenders and contracts write-up, market analysis, sales enhancement plans, corporate communications, branding and other marketing activities.

As of June 21, David Prado, SVP, succeeds Akira Kunimatsu to manage Asia & Oceania Trade Management section. Kunimatsu, SVP, is now the Head of Liner Network Planning, succeeding Jotaro Tamura who now heads Liner Yield Management, Equipment Management and Network Operation, a new section that merges operations from Liner Yield Management, Liner Equipment Inventory Control, Liner Equipment Maintenance and Liner Network Operation. MOL Liner has also merged Liner Fleet Management and Equipment Procurement to create another new section. This department will be led by Takanori Hida, SVP.

Calvin Duffaut, Assistant Vice President, Yield Management & Corporate Communications for MOL (America), has been promoted to Vice President, Yield Management of MOL Liner and will relocate to Hong Kong. He will report to Jotaro Tamura.

Effective August 1, MOL will begin operating in Canada as MOL (Canada). MOL has appointed Tim Harrington as Vice President, Canada. Based in Toronto, Harrington will be responsible for sales, customer service, and operational activities to serve the Canadian market. He will report directly to Richard Craig, Senior Vice President of Operations of MOL (America) Inc.

US – American Airlines has announced a new leadership team, effective at the time of the merger with the US Airways. Kenji Hashimoto, American Airlines Cargo President, will be promoted to Senior Vice President of Regional Carriers. Jim Butler, who currently serves as American's Managing Director of Commercial Planning and Performance, will replace Hashimoto as Cargo President.

Suzanne Boda, who currently serves as Senior Vice President, Airport Customer Service, International and Cargo at US Airways, will be American's new Senior Vice President, Asia, Canada, Europe and Cargo.

US – BMT Designers & Planners (BMT), an operating company of BMT Group Ltd, has announced the promotion of Richard Celotto who will take the role of Vice President of Engineering.

AUSTRALIA – TruckSafe, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Australian Trucking Association, has appointed Karlie Easter, from Queensland transport company K.S. Easter, to the TruckSafe Board.

UK – The UK Chamber of Shipping has announced that Mark Brownrigg has decided to step down from the role of Director General from the end of this year. Brownrigg will continue in his role until the arrangements of a successor are settled. He will also work on a one-year contract for two days a week as ‘Consultant Director’ in order to facilitate a smooth transition.

UK – DB Schenker Rail (UK) has announced the appointment of Geoff Spencer as the new Chief Executive Officer of DB Schenker Rail UK with effect from September 1.

UK – Duncan Eyre has joined Bibby Distribution in the newly created role of Development Director. He will be responsible for expanding Bibby's existing customer relationships and pro-actively developing new opportunities for growth. Eyre will report directly to Paul Kavanagh, Chief Operating Officer.

Bibby Ship Management has also announced the appointment of Chris Stone as Chief Operating Officer, who joined the team on July 1. Stone will replace Simon Barham, who was scheduled to leave Bibby at the end of June but stayed on for an extra month.

UK – Fargo Systems, creators of the TOPS™ (Transport Operations & Processing Systems) software, has appointed Trudy Seager as Customer Service Manager.

UK – Former President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Richard Brown CBE has been appointed as a non-executive member of the Department for Transport Board by Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin. Brown currently serves as the CILT’s Rail Sector Ambassador.

UK – SPAIN – Manuel Lagares Gómez-Abascal has resigned with immediate effect from the Board of Directors of International Consolidated Airlines Group

GERMANY – Agility has appointed Thomas Blank as Managing Director of Area Central Europe. He replaces Thomas Peikert, who made the decision last March to leave the company after 23 years. In his new role, Blank is responsible for defining growth strategies and identifying development opportunities in Germany, Benelux and Poland and is member of the Agility GIL Europe Management Board.

THE NETHERLANDS – The Port of Rotterdam has announced the appointment of Allard Castelein as its new CEO, effective January 1. Castelein succeeds Hans Smits who will be leaving the Port Authority at the end of December.