Logistics major gets a new CEO

A DIVERSE career, primarily in financial services, stands Simon Hayes in good stead as new chief executive officer of GAC Laser International Logistics, a company jointly owned and controlled by The Laser Group and Gulf Agency Company Limited (GAC). Represented in South Africa since 1991, GAC Logistics combines the strength of GAC’s global reach with Laser’s 70 years of experience in air and sea imports and exports. A University of Cape Town commerce graduate, he succeeds Richard Ferguson, with whom he has been closely associated, first as a consultant to The Laser Group since June 2006 and then directly in Laser International Logistics from November 2006. He has been involved with varied business interests since arriving in South Africa at age 18, including import/ export businesses, manufacturing, sales and marketing. Along with his appointment come several key announcements, first the retirement next month of John Kershaw, regional managing executive of GAC Laser International Logistics and ‘doyen’ of the industry, after 45 years with the company. He will be succeeded by Mike van Eyssen, who has been joint regional executive. Another company stalwart, Basil Hannival, joins the company’s national executive committee and has been re-appointed Western Cape chairman of the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff).