Maersk Logistics' Cairns takes on regional role

É as Cape Town becomes central hub Ray Smuts STARTING A new company from zero base must be tough, even with a powerful 'parent' like A.P. Moeller, but 30-month-old Maersk Logistics Southern Africa has grown in leaps and bounds - and that's not where it's about to end. When Mark Cairns kick-started the fledgling in 1999, it had six offices in the whole of Africa. Today, there are more than 30 in 21 countries, accounting for huge growth year on year. Last week saw Maersk Logistics Southern Africa announce a top-level restructuring which entails Johannesburg-born Cairns relinquishing his erstwhile portfolio to take on the exacting position of regional manager for Africa. His successor, holding the title of country manager for South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana, is John Mietes who brings to the post considerable experience in Maersk including setting up the company's logistics division in Egypt. Brent Nielsen takes over the portfolio of branch manager Gauteng and will be responsible for Swaziland and Botswana. The new dispensation also entails relocating the company's regional logistics division from Copenhagen to Cape Town as well as relocating the South African head office to Cape Town. Cairns says the role of the Africa region is more strategic than operational in the sense that it will look at budgets, strategy, development, major projects and acquisitions and give guidance to the regions on the path ahead. Maersk Logistics may be well entrenched in Africa but Cairns believes there is ample room for further development, Zimbabwe and Zambia for instance. Maersk is now well represented in Mozambique following the purchase last year of local company Danmo.