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NOL BUILDS ON STRENGTHS AND TALENT OF APL MANAGEMENT TEAM |
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February 15, 2002, Singapore: -- Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) today announced it was intensifying its global management strengths to meet customers’ needs by expanding the roles and responsibilities of key executives in its container transportation business, APL.
“As a Group, we are working to ensure that we emerge even stronger at the end of the current global downturn. APL remains an important part of our future and we are committed to continuing to grow this business in the long term,” NOL Group President and CEO Flemming Jacobs said today. “To achieve this, we are taking advantage of the depth and breadth of talent we have in the organisation; we are focusing even more tightly on the needs of our customers, making it easy for them to do business with us; on managing our costs; and on the areas and markets that generate the most value for the company. “To this end, Ed Aldridge has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of APL, with specific global responsibility for growing our Liner business and the profitability of our individual trades and services. “Ron Widdows, responsible for APL’s global operations and networks, has been promoted to Executive Vice President. Dan McHugh, formerly heading APL’s Asia/Middle East region, has been promoted to Executive Vice President responsible for its Global Marketing, Sales and Customer Support,” Mr Jacobs said. All three positions are based in Singapore. “I have said before that we have one of the strongest and most experienced management teams in our industry, and as CEO I have wanted to get APL even more focused on building the top line as well as the bottom line – and everything in-between.” He said that together, the three senior executives brought more than 75 years of experience to their new roles and they were committed, energetic and focused on the customer. “Individually they bring extraordinary talent and acumen to their roles in APL,” Mr Jacobs said. “Together, they are a powerhouse. Mr Jacobs said the regional organisation had also been strengthened, underlining swift, on-the-ground responses to customers. The key was to be even closer to where the action was, he said. “In terms of regional responsibilities, APL Americas has been divided into North America, headed by Bill Hamlin, based in Oakland, and the Latin America Region headed by Manny Fernandez, based in Miami,” he said. “Bob Sappio, who has laid a great foundation for our Global Sales and Marketing effort, will now return to the USA to assume a key revenue-generating role as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, North America, based in Oakland. He will drive the top line in our largest market,” Mr Jacobs said. APL Europe will continue to be based in London and will be headed by Dave Appleton, while Dan Ryan will head APL Middle East and East Africa based in Dubai. The vast Asia Region (other than China) will be managed from Singapore by Ken Soerensen who has been credited with the recent expansion of APL activities in Europe. To support the major and growing activities, a Greater China region including Hong Kong and Taiwan has been created. This will be based in Shanghai and headed by Brian Lutt. “We have placed experienced and accomplished individuals as Presidents of these respective regions and our delineating Greater China as a separate region, based in Shanghai, is a first. Our customers told us that was where they wanted additional attention and support and we have responded.” Mr Jacobs said he was also extending the responsibilities and experience of some talented younger managers in the trade lanes. “Koay Peng Yen, most recently heading APL's Intra-Asia, Middle East and Australia trade, is assuming the very important TransPacific trade lane management as Senior Vice President, based in Oakland. He takes over from Solon Webb who has been an untiring leader in this trade and had agreed to postpone retiring until I found someone of his high calibre to fill his place. “I am pleased too to give new opportunities to Eng Aik Meng, who headed NOL’s Strategic Planning, and who is assuming responsibility as Vice President for APL’s Intra-Asia, Middle East and Australia services. Mr Eng joined NOL as a management trainee less than ten years ago, and has undertaken a company-sponsored MBA at Harvard University and taken on more and more responsible positions over that time.” Mr Jacobs said that, in addition, Eric Mensing, Vice President in Washington DC, was assuming responsibility for the growing Transatlantic trade lane, based in London. Mr Jacobs said that, whilst he was retaining his role as CEO of APL, “Mr Aldridge, Mr Widdows and Mr McHugh will work together to manage the day-to-day operations of the Liner business”. And added, “Now that the fundamentals are in place for Liner in terms of processes, network, people and focus, I want to allocate my energy more evenly between the core businesses, helping to build on the excellent work done so far in Logistics. “We need to find efficient ways of doing our business, we need to pursue the business that is of most value to us, and we need to make the most of our leading edge IT to increase efficiencies for both our company and for our customers. “By building on the strengths and experience of our organisation we will be well positioned to make the most of the opportunities today, and in the future,” he concluded. Media inquiries Sarah Lockie (65) 371.5022 sarah_lockie@nol.com.sg About NOL NOL is a Singapore- listed global transportation and logistics company engaged in shipping and related businesses. Its container arm, APL, provides customers around the world with container transportation services that combine high quality inter-modal operations with state-of-the-art information technology, while APL Logistics provides end to end supply chain management services through its global network. Its crude oil transportation business, American Eagle Tankers (AET) operates primarily in the Caribbean and Mexican Gulf, where it has one of the youngest and largest fleets. For further information contact: Paul Wilke NOL Group · Tel: (65) 371-5311 Email: paul_wilke@apl.com |
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