Executive Moves: CEVA Logistics and Damen Shipyards

A CFO with a “different background” is taking over in Switzerland; a sales position is created and filled in the Netherlands.

   CEVA Logistics announced that it has named Serge Corbel as chief financial officer effective Oct. 15.
   Peter Waller, Group CFO since 2016, “will pursue other career opportunities outside of the company,” CEVA said in Friday’s announcement.
   CEVA said Waller “contributed tremendously in both the IPO in May 2018 and the successful refinancing of the company’s entire debt. While the board of directors and Xavier Urbain, CEO of CEVA Logistics, are most grateful for Peter Waller’s outstanding work in preparing CEVA Logistics for the demands of the capital market, it was concluded that a different background and comprehensive experience in logistics are required for supporting the company in further implementing its business strategy and for transforming the group and bringing it to the next level.”
   Corbel was with CMA-CGM for more than 25 years and “has extensive sector know-how and comprehensive experience in running complex finance organizations,” CEVA said.
   CEVA called Corbel a key financial architect of CMA-CGM’s growth and said he led several acquisitions and integrations, most recently Neptune Orient Lines and American President Lines. During his last position at CMA-CGM, he was CFO of APL, based in Singapore.
 
   Damen Shipyards Group has appointed Chiel de Leeuw to the newly created position of sales director for RoPax.
   He will be responsible for generating new business in the RoRo and RoPax markets for vessels more than 120 meters in length. He had served as Damen’s sales manager for Western Europe.
   “Damen believes that the timing is right for a move into the larger RoRo/RoPax market,” the company said in an announcement, adding that analysis it conducted “identified an anticipated increase in demand for vessels of this size and type in the coming five to 10 years, based on market cycles and new emissions regulations which are leading owners to consider both retrofit and newbuild solutions so as to ensure compliance.”
   Damen said that in addition to design and engineering capabilities, de Leeuw will have “all the resources and expertise” of its latest acquisition, Damen Shipyards Mangalia in Romania, to offer the large ferry sector. “With docks up to 60 meters across and 1 million square meters of operational space, it is now the largest shipyard in the group and has the resources and infrastructure to undertake the largest and most complex vessels.”