Hessel Verhage and Jakob Wegge-Larsen Strengthen DB Schenker

DB Schenker is reshaping its leadership team for the future. Two international top managers are joining the board. The Dutchman Hessel Verhage, 50, who drives the company’s development as Executive Vice President “Global Strategy and Transformation” at Schenker, is being promoted to the top management. He will also take over the board area of contract logistics starting November 1. The Dane Jakob Wegge-Larsen, 45, previously CFO and Senior Vice President of the “Ocean & Logistics” business unit at the Danish company Maersk, has been appointed by the Schenker Supervisory Board as the new CFO and will start on March 1, 2023.

Bis zum 31.12.2022 liegt die Verantwortung für das Schenker-Finanzressort noch in den Händen von Oliver Seidl, 59. Der Diplom-Kaufmann Seidl, der seit Ende 2016 für Schenker tätig ist, verlässt das Unternehmen zum Jahresbeginn 2023 in bestem Einvernehmen und auf eigenen Wunsch, um sich einer neuen Lebensphase mit anderen Aufgaben zu widmen.

„With the new board team, Schenker is preparing for the global changes in the logistics industry that require constant development of the business. For the Schenker team and the customers, the strengthening of the board with two distinguished international logistics experts is very good news,” said Dr. Levin Holle, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schenker AG.

Supervisory Board Chairman Holle: “Very good news for employees and customers”

Jochen Thewes, CEO of Schenker AG, emphasized: “Our two new board colleagues Hessel Verhage and Jakob Wegge-Larsen will work with their experience and enthusiasm for innovation to continue the excellent development of Schenker in the future. I am very much looking forward to their impulses and initiatives.”

Verhage takes on the responsibility for an experienced contract logistics team as the new board member. Initially, he will also remain in his dual role as “Chief Transformation Officer.” He joined DB Schenker in August 2019 as Chief Executive Officer for the Americas region. There, he was responsible for the business in 24 countries in North, Central, and South America. At the beginning of 2022, he was promoted to head of the global strategy and transformation unit.
Verhage has over 26 years of experience in the freight forwarding and logistics business. Before his time at Schenker, he was, among other positions, CEO at “STG Holdings” and was responsible for eight acquisitions in America for the investment company.

Together over 40 years of logistics experience

With over 20 years of international expertise, including positions in Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Singapore, and Hamburg, Wegge-Larsen is also a top manager with broad industry experience. After four years at the consulting firm EY, he worked for more than 20 years at three different global shipping and logistics companies as CFO or part of the financial leadership team. This includes roles as Business CFO at Maersk Line Operations (March 2014 to November 2017), as CFO and Vice President at Hamburg Süd, an acquisition of A.P. Moller-Maersk (December 2017 to February 2020), and since March 2020, serving as CFO for Maersk Ocean & Logistics, the largest division of Maersk with 49 billion euros in revenue in 2021.

His achievements include the successful integration of the acquisition Hamburg Süd into the Maersk Group as well as the strengthening and standardization of financial processes – also with newly introduced digital systems. Wegge-Larsen holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Henley Business School in the UK.

Good time to pass on responsibility

The outgoing CFO of Schenker, Seidl, who will remain in office until the end of December, stated: “After the sixth record result in a row in the 150-year history of Schenker and the successful strategic realignment of the finance department and the entire company, now is the right time to hand over responsibility to new hands. I will focus more on collaborating with young entrepreneurs and supporting them in their development.”

The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schenker AG, Dr. Levin Holle, emphasized: “The Schenker Supervisory Board expressly thanks Oliver Seidl for his very successful work and his great commitment. With his proven expertise, he has strategically and organizationally realigned the finance department in the last six years and established a global control concept for the entire Schenker Group. He hands over a well-organized field. We wish Oliver Seidl all the best for his future professional and private life.”

Well positioned for strategic challenges

The CEO of Schenker AG, Jochen Thewes, added: “In the last six years, I have worked very closely and trustingly with Oliver and thank him also on behalf of the entire board for his outstanding commitment. Together, we have transformed Schenker from a pure financial holding into a powerful, globally managed company. This positions Schenker AG well for the strategic challenges of the market.”

Seidl has been responsible since 2016 for core areas such as controlling, accounting, and treasury, as well as direct procurement, real estate, financial strategy, and the two shared service centers in Manila and Bucharest.

Photo: © DB Schenker / Image caption: Hessel Verhage (left) and Jakob Wegge-Larsen strengthen the board at DB Schenker