ShipServ Appoints New Executive Management to Drive Growth

ShipServ, the world’s leading maritime e-procurement platform, announced today that it has made new appointments at an executive management level. The moves will enable the company to drive its ambitious growth strategy, including the development and delivery of a range of new products and features in 2018. This will help customers realize the opportunities of increased digitalization within the shipping industry.
 
ShipServ’s former executive vice president & chief legal officer, Mikael Weis has moved into the position of COO, where his main focus will be to ensure that ShipServ continues to meet the needs of its existing and prospective customers. Having served as ShipServ’s senior vice president for 14 years, Don Staffin has been appointed to executive vice president – responsible for the company’s business operations in the Americas, as well as global partner relationships, and ShipServ’s initiatives in the cruise industry.
 
With 17 years’ experience at ShipServ, Weis will leverage his extensive knowledge and experience of the company to head up the sales, account management, and marketing teams, as well as continuing to head up the legal team. He has hands on experience in the maritime industry, having served on board vessels for several years prior to joining ShipServ, and holds a Master Mariner qualification, as well as a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Copenhagen.
 
Commenting on Weis’ appointment, ShipServ’s newly appointed CEO, Kim Skaarup said: “Mikael has a deep understanding of the business having run our account management for 10 years as well as our legal and compliance affairs, which is becoming more and more important to ship operators with tightening regulation in our industry. Having Mikael assume the role of COO will also enable me to focus on delivering a number of key strategic initiatives, along with the newly announced SVP position held by Henrik Hyldahn, which we hope will drive real innovation in the maritime sector.”
 
As a prominent and respected figure within the maritime industry, and a marine e-commerce pioneer, Don Staffin will be integral to driving ShipServ’s business activities in the Americas, which is a key market for the company. He has been with the company since 2003, and in that time, he has spearheaded both its successful entry into the cruise market, and the significant growth in North America. Staffin, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees in operational research and industrial engineering, and an MBA, will continue to coordinate global cruise initiatives.
 
Having launched many of ShipServ’s worldwide partnerships, Don Staffin will also be responsible for all partner relationships, which includes both software companies and other important stakeholders, such as the International Marine Purchasing Association (IMPA).
 
Skaarup concluded: “Don’s new role is crucial as it illustrates our desire to work more effectively with, and build even stronger ties with all our partners. We have ambitious growth plans for the company, and I’m confident that together with the management team, our partners, and our customers, we can achieve this. Building on our 17-year heritage in the shipping industry, we will continue to leverage the expertise and experience within the ShipServ team – many of whom are marine through and through – to develop even better solutions for our customers.”