APM Terminals has appointed Frederik Klinke as the new country managing director for its Nigeria office.
According to the company, Klinke will take over on 1st January 2023, from Klaus Holm Laursen, who will move to the position of Head of Joint Ventures, Africa and Europe.
Klinke is Danish and has been with A.P. Moller – Maersk since 2006. He holds a Master of Science degree in Economics from Copenhagen University and a strategic finance degree from IMD Business School in Geneva and has also participated in leadership courses at Esade Business School in Spain and IMD.
His past roles include Chief Financial Officer of APM Terminals Tangier, Suez Canal Container Terminal in Port Said, and Managing Director of Douala International Terminal.
He was the Regional Head of Finance for Africa & Middle East, prior to becoming Head of Joint Ventures, Africa & Europe. In his new role, Klinke will be based in Lagos.
“Frederik has strong links with Africa and in his previous roles, he saw several major projects materialise on the continent, including the completion of an upgrade in the West Africa Container Terminal in Nigeria (WACT), investments in APM Terminals Liberia or the go-live of the new Côte d’Ivoire Container Terminal in Ivory Coast. His past experience will be a great asset in his new role in Nigeria”, said Igor van den Essen, regional managing director, Africa and Europe at APM Terminals.
On the hand, Klaus Holm Laursen has been the Managing Director of APM Terminals Nigeria since 2020, when the country structure was introduced, combining the organisations of the two terminals in Apapa and WACT in Onne.
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Klaus joined Maersk in 1998 and has had extensive experience in strategic leadership roles. He served as Managing Director/CEO of the Aqaba Container Terminal in Jordan, the Suez Canal Container Terminal in Egypt, the Poti Sea Port Corporation in Georgia, and most recently, Country Managing Director in Nigeria.
Klaus has also had roles in Business Development and Finance with APM Terminals and Maersk, working in Copenhagen, The Hague, Seoul and Tanjung Pelepas. In his new role, Klaus will be based in Dubai.
“During Klaus’ tenure in Nigeria, the performance of our terminals improved, with both facilities receiving substantial investments. WACT was upgraded to become a modern container terminal, and APM Terminals Apapa refurbished its facilities, ensuring that both terminals have a stronger platform for improving our service to our customers”, said Igor van den Essen.
