Long-serving former Maersk Broker president and CEO Jorn Steen Nielsen has died at the age of 66.
The man credited with building the former AP Moller-Maersk shop into a market force passed away on New Year's Day after suffering from cancer for a number of years.
He left the shipbroker in 2014 after more than 40 years with the AP Moller-Maersk group, being succeeded by current CEO Anders Hald.
Hald told TradeWinds that his former colleague had gone "way too early".
In a note to staff, he said: "It is with sadness that I have to inform you that our former Maersk Broker president and CEO, Mr Jorn Steen Nielsen passed away on January 1, 2020.
"Jorn Steen Nielsen was through three decades instrumental in developing Maersk Broker into a position amongst the leading shipbrokers globally."
He added: "Most of you have met and have known Jorn Steen Nielsen. His achievements speak for themselves and we will honour his memory."
Broking in the blood
Steen Nielsen's initial plans on leaving the company were to “relax a little bit,” he told TradeWinds back then.
But he added: “I’m definitely not stepping down to retire.”
Steen Nielsen said he would remain in the industry, although he had no concrete plans in place at that point.
“The only thing I know in this world is shipbuilding and how to run a large shipbroking company," he added.
At the time of his departure, Maersk Broker had 300 brokers working in 18 offices around the world.
Steen Nielsen received his shipping education from AP Moller-Maersk and joined Maersk Tankers after qualifying.
He was with Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller’s Secretariat in the mid-1970s, before switching to the conglomerate’s bulk division.
He shifted to Maersk Supply in 1984 and joined Maersk’s sale and purchase and newbuilding activities in 1988. He took control of Maersk Broker in 1997.
In later years he was a director of Norwegian offshore support vessel operator Nordcap Offshore.
