Two Sad Departures Head Up Staff News in Freight and Logistics This Week

US – A sad start to our round-up to staff changes in the global freight and logistics sector with the news that J. Harwood Cochrane, founder of Overnite Transportation Company and Highway Express died on Monday 25 July at the age of 103. His demise was preceded in December by the death of his wife of 81 years, Louise, who died at the age of 99.

Cochrane began his legendary career in the trucking industry in 1933, when he and a brother started hauling freight from Richmond to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. In 1935, he founded the Overnite Transportation Company, which he built based on his values and work ethic and grew into one of the largest and most successful trucking companies in the United States. In 1986, he reluctantly sold Overnite to Union Pacific railroad for the unprecedented sale price of $1.2 billion - an offer he accepted for the good of his shareholders. In 1991, at age 79 and at the conclusion of a five-year non-compete clause, he founded another trucking company, Highway Express, which he sold in 2003.

HONG KONG – George Chao, President of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport, passed away at the age of 76, following a long illness. George Chao was the youngest son of Chao Tsong Yea, shipping tycoon and founder of Wah Kwong. George Chao joined the company in the 1960s and took over the top management in 1999.

SINGAPORE – Singapore Post has appointed Sam Ang Group CEO Famous Holdings and Executive Vice President, SingPost, as CEO of Quantium Solutions, effective since July 15. With this appointment, Mr Ang will lead both SingPost's eCommerce logistics arm, and freight forwarding operations as well as oversee SP Parcels. He will report to Mervyn Lim, interim Group Chief Executive Officer.

ASIA – BMT Asia Pacific has appointed Dr Sukhy Barhey as Director to lead the implementation of the company’s strategy and expand its specialist service offering across the region.

WORLDWIDE – Denis Choumert, Chairman of the European Shippers’ Council (ESC), has been appointed to The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) Board of Directors. Choumert has held high-level operational roles in engineering and project management in a career spanning over two decades. He was appointed ESC Chairman in 2012 and holds director level appointments on several other transport associations.

RUSSIA – Operations at the two new GAC bases in Nakhodka and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, are guided and coordinated by Michael Khmelkov in his new role as Shipping Director charged with the company’s expansion to ports in new areas.

GERMANY – Oliver Seidl has been named to join the Management Board of Schenker AG as the new Chief Financial Officer. Seidl will succeed Dr. Lutz Freytag at the ‘earliest possible availability’, after Freytag decided to leave the company on November 30.

FRANCE – Bureau Veritas has appointed Nick Brown as Communications Director, Marine & Offshore Division, effective from November 2. Joining Bureau Veritas from Lloyd’s Register, Brown succeeds Philippe Boisson, who retires after more than 25 years in the role.

UK – DSV Road has appointed Vicky King as the new General Manager for Customer Service. King joins DSV from John Lewis where she was previously Site Manager.

UK – Claire Perry has stepped down from her role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. Effective since July 17, Paul Maynard has succeeded Perry in the role. Maynard was elected Conservative MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys in May 2010.

US – Maersk Line, Limited has named William Woodhour as its new President.

US – The American Trucking Association has announced four new members of its senior management team. Elisabeth Barna, a trucking industry veteran has been named Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs, effective immediately. She most recently held the position of Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at the ATA. Jennifer Hall, most recently the General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has been appointed General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs. Hall will take up her new role on September 3.

Sue Hensley has been named Executive Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs. Hensley comes to ATA from the National Restaurant Association where she was Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications. Having most recently served as Legislative Director for Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Bill Sullivan will take the role of Executive Vice President of Advocacy. Both Hensley and Sullivan will start their new roles on August 15.