Centre of excellence dedicated to search and leadership for maritime sector
The Amrop Partnership today announces the launch of its global shipping practice. With 8 consultants based in major shipping hubs across the world, the practice will bring together one of the most experienced teams of shipping experts within any global executive search and leadership firm.
Headquartered in Copenhagen and Singapore – two of the world’s key shipping centres, the practice will also have consultants based in the hubs of Amsterdam, Hamburg, Hong Kong and Oslo. The Amrop Partnership’s worldwide reach provides an additional international connection across all the major global maritime routes. The practice will be headed by Christian Reich and Peter Poulsen from Amrop’s Copenhagen office and Thomas Hofer from Amrop in Singapore. More than half of the team have held long-term senior executive level roles within the shipping industry.
A truly global sector, the shipping industry is today tackling a number of urgent challenges. Alongside geopolitical shifts and the current pressures as a result of the pandemic, shipping companies are facing huge technological changes including rapid digitization and the opportunities and threats posed by AI. At the same time, there is a global imperative for improved sustainability within the industry, which has made a commitment to a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
Thomas Hofer, Co-Managing Partner, Amrop Hofer Tan in Singapore commented “As a consequence of the new challenges and often exciting opportunities within the shipping industry today, clients are seeking a new breed of leader, one who combines outstanding leadership skills, a with a focus on sustainability, technology and environmental stewardship, all from a global perspective. Whilst many of these leaders come from an experienced background within the maritime industry, we are also increasingly finding new talent outside the shipping sector. The response from clients to our new offering has been extremely positive and we’re looking forward to continuing to support them and to reach new clients in future executive search and leadership projects.”
Annika Farin, Managing Partner and Global Chair, The Amrop Partnership “We are delighted to be launching a dedicated global shipping practice. Amrop has a team of highly experienced maritime industry specialists with direct industry experience in shipping hubs across the world and the new practice will enable us to create a centre of excellence. By sharing intelligence and best practice within all our industry practices, we are ideally positioned to fulfil our clients’ complex executive search and leadership mandates. The events of 2020 have shown us that strong, agile and inspiring leadership has never been more vital in preparing businesses for what comes next.”
The global shipping industry is in the midst of great change. Shipping is responsible for around 90% of the carriage of world trade and continues to grow as trade and e-commerce boom. Many disruptive technologies from AI, IoT, smart shipping, and big data, to blockchain and cloud computing are modernising today’s maritime sector whilst making it more efficient and sustainable. In comparison to air, rail or land transport, shipping remains the least polluting mode per tonne of goods carried. However the sector still accounts for approximately 3% of global emissions. Changing to more diverse fuel sources including renewable energy, with improved operational measures such as reductions in speed, hydrodynamics and port efficiencies will all support the significant reduction in carbon required to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s 2050 emissions target. Amrop’s global shipping practice is configured to meet the demands of dynamic, globalizing organizations in the maritime sector.
