Changes at the top for Safmarine

There are significant changes at the top for Safmarine and Maersk Line with Safmarine CEO Ivan Heesom-Green handing over the reins to newly appointed Tomas Dyrbye as he takes over as Maersk regional manager for Africa and managing director of Safmarine of South Africa. Africa is one of Maersk Line’s top five regions. Heesom-Green will now have responsibility for all container business activities – that includes the group activities in Safmarine– and will therefore remain involved with Safmarine in his new role. Dyrbye (51), currently Maersk Line regional manager for Northern Europe, takes up his new position in Antwerp, Belgium during the third quarter of this year. He joined the AP Moller – Maersk Group in 1985 and has held a number of international positions including CEO for the Nordic and Baltic Area for Maersk Line and Safmarine in 2002 and country manager for India (1998-2002). Heesom-Green, who will relocate to head office in Cape Town, commented: “It has been an exciting six years for me in which we have seen Safmarine double in size, add 19 newly owned ships to our fleet and even witness modest growth in the first quarter of this year, which is a great reflection on Safmariners’ performances on shore and at sea. Africa continues to show great potential for sustainable growth through trade and I look forward to playing my part to create those opportunities.” He will take over from the current Maersk regional manager for Africa, Lars Reno Jakobsen, who has been appointed the new head of network and product and member of the liner management board of Maersk Line in Copenhagen. Both Heesom-Green and Jakobsen will take up their new positions during the third quarter of 2009. Durban-born Heesom-Green joins the American J Russell Bruner of Maersk Inc of the United States as only the second locally appointed national of a Maersk region. On June 1 this year Safmarine will celebrate its tenth anniversary as a member of the AP Moller - Maersk Group.