Burkhard Eling becomes new CEO amid top-level changes at Dachser

Burkhard Eling (pictured above) has taken the reins of Germans logistics provider and road transport specialist Dachser as its new chief executive.

Mr Eling succeeds Bernhard Simon, who will take over as chairman of the supervisory board of the family-owned company in mid-2021.

Also moving to the supervisory board with Mr Simon is former chief operations officer of road logistics Michael Schilling.

As a result, Dachser has made further changes to its executive board (pictured below) as of 1 January with Stefan Hohm promoted to the position of chief development officer and Alexander Tonn as the new chief operating officer of road logistics.

From left to right: Robert Erni, Alexander Tonn, Burkhard Eling, Edoardo Podestà and Stefan Hohm

They are joined on the executive board by Robert Erni, who left DSV Panalpina to join Dachser on 1 September last year as chief financial officer, and Edoardo Podestà, who has been chief operating officer of air and sea logistics since October 2019.

The 49-year-old Mr Eling joined Dachser in 2012 as deputy head of the finance, legal and tax executive unit.

He joined the executive board as CFO the following year, where he was responsible for the logistics provider’s “group-wide strategic idea and innovation management program”.

The 48-year-old Nr Hohm will head the newly created IT & Development executive unit.

He has been with Dachser for 27 years, and was previously corporate director for the logistics provider’s research and development work, as well as its corporate solutions business.

Besides the further development of IT, he is now also responsible for worldwide contract logistics.

Mr Tonn is another Dachser veteran, having been with the company for over 20 years, and will be responsible for the European overland transport networks for industrial goods and food, as well as continue to lead the European Logistics Germany business unit.

“My fellow board members and I are taking over an extremely robust and fast-growing company that even the challenges of the coronavirus crisis haven’t managed to throw off course. With their tremendous know-how and commitment, the people at Dachser have succeeded in maintaining the supply chains of our global customers even under adverse conditions,” Mr Eling said.

“With the trust and support of the founding family, we as an Executive Board team, will preserve the unique, people-oriented culture of Dachser as a family-owned company. At the same time, we will continue to develop the company with sound judgment and agility on its way to becoming the world’s most integrated logistics provider,” he added.