Svitzer Europe has appointed Sara Gerdner Kalle as its new chief commercial officer.
Gerdner Kalle brings her expertise from leading Maersk APAC’s e-commerce logistics team to her new role at the towage giant.
“The opportunity to join Svitzer as the CCO for Europe was incredibly appealing due to the company’s established reputation in maritime services, its commitment to safety and sustainability, and the chance to work with a diverse, talented team,” Gerdner Kalle said in a statement.
She has also held leadership roles at Singapore Post, DB Schenker and H&M.
“I look forward to driving growth and building resilient commercial relationships across Europe’s varied markets,” she said.
Gerdner Kalle “will be pivotal in harnessing Svitzer’s commitment to digitalisation to help the business and its customers to move forwards to deliver safe, sustainable marine services,” according to the statement.
The appointment is effective from 1 April.
“It has been key for us to find a new CCO who shares our passion for excellent customer service and brings all the right capabilities to continue building our position in the European market,” Lise Demant, managing director at Svitzer, said.
Svitzer’s owner AP Moller-Maersk is in the process of spinning off the company.
Svtizer will stand alone on 30 April with a listing on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange as Svitzer Group, subject to a shareholder vote on 26 April.
Former Maersk veteran Morten Engelstoft will be chairman, with major shareholder and AP Moller-Maersk chairman Robert Maersk Uggla as vice chairman.
Uggla is also the chief executive of parent AP Moller Holding, which will be Svitzer’s largest investor with 41.5% after the split.
Svitzer has been part of Maersk for almost 45 years and operates more than 450 vessels.
The company was founded in 1833 and serves 2,000 clients at more than 140 ports.
