Amrop Launches Global Shipping Practice

June 29, 2021 – Global recruiting organization The Amrop Partnership has launched a global shipping practice. “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, with a focus on sustainability, technology and environmental stewardship, all from a global perspective,” said Thomas Hofer, co-managing partner, Amrop Hofer Tan in Singapore. “While 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.”

Headquartered in two of the world’s key shipping centers, Copenhagen and Singapore, the practice will also have consultants based in the hubs of Amsterdam, Hamburg, Hong Kong and Oslo. 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. Leading maritime expert, Esben Poulsson, will act as advisor.

“A truly global sector, the shipping industry is today tackling a number of urgent challenges,” according to Amrop. “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 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.”

“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, with a focus on sustainability, technology and environmental stewardship, all from a global perspective,” said Mr. Hofer. “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 of The Amrop Partnership, said her organization was 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 center of excellence,” she said. “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 Shipping Sector

The global shipping industry is in the midst of great change. Shipping is responsible for around 90 percent of the carriage of world trade and continues to grow as trade and e-commerce boom. According to Amrop, many disruptive technologies from AI, IoT, smart shipping and big data, to blockchain and cloud computing are modernizing today’s maritime sector while making it more efficient and sustainable. In comparison to air, rail or land transport, shipping remains the least polluting mode per ton of goods carried. However, according to Amrop, the sector still accounts for about three percent 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,” the firm said.

Founded in 1977, Amrop advises organizations in executive search, board, and leadership services. The organization has 60 offices in 44 countries.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media