UPS promotes Markus Kessler to country cluster manager

Photo: UPS

UPS has promoted Markus Kessler (above) to the position of country cluster manager for the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, taking over from Ufku Akaltan, who has moved to a new role as president of West EMEAI

Mr Kessler will be responsible for overseeing small package operations and driving business development and strategy through a region that features some of UPS’s most advanced facilities, including its state-of-the-art healthcare facility in Dublin, the UK air hub at East Midlands Airport and a smart network across the Nordics.

Mr Kessler said: “This part of Europe is home to an incredible team, as well as dynamic businesses with huge export potential.”

His previous role was country manager for UPS in Austria and Switzerland, where he was focused on development and expansion of UPS’s business, maintaining UPS’s Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards in healthcare operation and the launch of UPS Premier in Switzerland, as well as the pioneering use of lockers as UPS Access Point locations in Austria.

He joined UPS in 2006 and became a talent manager in 2012, continuing his career in HR, becoming VP for human resources and labour relations before becoming Austria and Switzerland county manager in 2022.

Mr Akaltan said: “Markus brings diverse and extensive experience and I’m confident that he’ll put that to the use of our shipping customers across these vital and strategic markets.”