Kari-Pekka Laaksonen appointed new group CEO at Samskip

Pan-European transport service provider Samskip has appointed former Containerships chief executive Kari-Pekka Laaksonen as its new group chief executive.

The current CEO, Ásbjörn Gislasonm will become group deputy chief executive.

Samskip said the appointment of Mr Laaksonen reflected “its strategy to align logistics services more closely with the business objectives of its client base”.

He will take up his new post, based at Samskip’s Rotterdam headquarters, on 1 August following some seven years at the head of Samskip competitor Containerships, which he departed following its takeover by CMA CGM.

“He also brings significant experience from the shipper perspective, having occupied progressively senior logistics roles in the chemicals, forest products and automotive sectors,” Samskip said.

“My CV includes 20 years experience as a logistics professional with different shippers, which means I have a specific interest in understanding customer needs. I look forward to developing this approach with Samskip’s customer base,” Mr Laaksonen said

“The opportunity to join Samskip, with its extensive transport network across Europe is very exciting from a personal point of view.

“Competition is fierce but Samskip achieves the unique balance of delivering scale economies through its shortsea, rail, barge and trucking network while maintaining the privately-owned culture that responds to opportunities quickly and decisively,” he added.