BERNDSEN TO STEP DOWN AS CHAIRMAN OF ROYAL NEDLLOYD
Leo Berndsen will step down as chairman of the executive board of Royal Nedlloyd Group on Jan. 1 and will be replaced by Haddo Meijer.
Berndsen has been chairman of the Dutch group, which owns 50 percent of P&O Nedlloyd and 50 percent of the airline Martinair, since 1993.
During his chairmanship, Berndsen has presided over the merger of Nedlloyd Lines and P&O Containers and the sale of Nedlloyd’s distribution, heavy-lift shipping and other activities.
Royal Nedlloyd said that Berndsen is reaching retirement age, but he will continue to be non-executive co-chairman of P&O Nedlloyd, alongside Jeffrey Sterling, the chairman of the P&O group.
Meijer, currently deputy chairman, will take over as chairman of the executive board of the Royal Nedlloyd. He will also continue in his current position as chairman of the executive committee of P&O Nedlloyd.
Berndsen will also become a member of Royal Nedlloyd’s supervisory board, effective Jan. 1.
At the same time, Royal Nedlloyd has appointed Neelie Kroes as non-executive director of P&O Nedlloyd, effective Jan. 1.