Matthew Leech Named CEO of Top U.S. Terminal Operator Ports America

Canadian-owned Ports America, the largest marine terminal operator and stevedore in North America, has announced the appointment of Matthew Leech as its new president and CEO, effective this coming November. Leech will take over from Mark Montgomery, who will retire from his previous role and support the firm in an advisory capacity going forward. 

Leech has more than 25 years of experience in the maritime industry. In his last post, he served as CEO and managing director for the Americas for DP World. Before DP World’s acquisition of CSX World Terminals in 2005, Leech served as VP of operations and development, and he led an important expansion initiative.

“Ports America is poised for growth, and Matt is the right leader to take this exceptional business forward,” said Montgomery. 

“I am honored to be named as the next CEO of Ports America,” said Leech. “Ports America is a highperforming organization that values its long-standing relationships with its customers. I look forward to working with leadership and the entire team to continue driving strong performance."

Leech joins another company newcomer, Andrew Clarke, who became chairman at Ports America earlier this year. 

“Matt brings strong industry experience and will be an outstanding addition to the team as we deliver on our mission to provide the highest
quality operations for our customers. We also thank Mark for his years of service and leadership during a period of unprecedented growth for the company," said Clarke.

Ports America is the largest marine terminal operator in North America with operations in 33 ports across the U.S. It is based in New Jersey, but it is owned by the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), a Crown corporation founded by the Canadian government. CPP Investments is one of the largest private equity investors in the world, with more than $400 billion in assets under management.