Svitzer Appoints New Global Chief Operating Officer

On 1 December 2020, Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard will take up the role as global COO of Svitzer A/S, reporting to CEO Kasper Friis Nilaus. Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard will be joining Svitzer from her current position as Global Head of Equipment & VP in Maersk and she will be taking over after Svitzer’s current COO, Leonardo Sonzio, who will be moving on to become Head of Fleet Operations in Maersk.

Svitzer CEO, Kasper Friis Nilaus, commented on the appointment:

“Today, innovative thinking and a digital mindset is crucial to succeed as a global towage operator and this is precisely what Ingrid stands for. She brings to Svitzer an extensive professional background in both commercial and operations that fits well with our ambitions to further strengthen the services we deliver to our customers. Beyond running operations with a strong eye on safety and efficiency, Ingrid applies a digital and innovative mindset and approach to her work and leadership. We aim to leverage technologies and find new ways of doing business to support our customer’s needs, also in the future, and Ingrid is a great match for this mission.”

Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard holds a degree in Economics & Languages followed by a degree in Business Management from Nyenrode University in the Netherlands and she is a well-known face in Maersk. Apart from her current role as Global Head of Equipment in Maersk, she has most recently held Maersk Line positions as Managing Director, Eastern Central Europe, and Trade Manager North America to/from Mediterranean. Full CV attached.

Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard commented on the appointment:

“I am very excited about the opportunity to become the global COO of Svitzer. Svitzer has a great history shown by a strong track record of high performance and is committed to creating the right customer experience and engagement to secure value for our partners. By leveraging digital technology to perform better internally and externally and by ensuring high safety standards, I am committed to bringing this exciting agenda forward together with the rest of the Svitzer team.”

Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard will be based in Copenhagen and she will take over from Leonardo Sonzio on 1 December:

“I am confident that Ingrid is the right person to take over from Leonardo Sonzio. While I am of course sad to see Leonardo leave Svitzer I am also proud that he is moving on to a significant role in Maersk. Leonardo has played a crucial role in bringing Svitzer to where we are today, and I thank him wholeheartedly for his contributions,” said Kasper Friis Nilaus.