Executive Moves: BIFA and AKD

BIFA names new national chairman, while AKD hires two senior executives.    The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has named Fred Osborn as its new national chairman. He succeeds Carson McMullan as the national chairman of the trade association for UK freight forwarders.
   Co-owner of X-Pand International Freight Ltd. since 2000, Osborn joined BIFA’s board in 2011. He has been vice chairman of BIFA for the past two years and prior to that he was chair of the trade association’s Air Policy Group.
   Mark Bromley, sales and development manager at Allways International Forwarding, will take over as vice chairman. Peter Bottomley, MP, remains as BIFA president.

   Rotterdam, Netherlands-based law firm AKD, which specializes in the maritime shipping and offshore sectors, has hired two new senior executives, effective July 1, 2015.
   AKD selected Pieter den Haan as a partner in the law firm’s Transport and Energy team. A specialist in handling maritime casualties with particular expertise in major collision cases, as well as in salvage and wreck removal and insurance disputes, den Haan joins AKD from Van Traa. He also advises shipyards, shipowners and private clients in connection with shipbuilding and repair contracts, as well as dealing with the enforcement of claims against ships and ship arrests.
   The company also hired Vivian van der Kuil, also from Van Traa, as a senior associate on the Transport and Energy team. Van der Kuil specializes in transport law, with a particular focus on maritime law, and has extensive experience of dealing with maritime casualties, as well as limitation of liability, assistance and wreck removal cases. Having worked as a Rotterdam court judge, her expertise also extends to ship arrests and other procedures related to maritime law.