NYK names Keller, Veitch to board
As part of a major management reorganization, Nippon Yusen Kaisha is naming non-Japanese executives from the United States and Europe to top executive and corporate director positions.
In North America, Peter Keller, executive vice president and chief operating officer, will become president of NYK Line (NA) and a corporate officer. In Europe, Ian Veitch, chief executive of NYK Logistics (UK), will also become a corporate officer.
NYK, Japan’s largest shipping group, said the appointments indicate 'the evolution of NYK from a traditional Japanese shipping company towards a global integrated logistics group.'
'I'm honored and I think it is a good move to give the board an international flavor because this is an international business,' Keller said.
Another westerner, Lanny Vaughn, also serves as a corporate officer at NYK.
The naming of Keller and Veitch as directors are part of a host of other appointments that will go into effect April 1 at NYK. Other changes in North America include:
* Saburo 'Sam' Yamagata, chairman of NYK Line (NA), president and CEO of NYK Group Americas Inc., and chairman of NYK Logistics (Americas) Inc., will take over as chairman of Crystal Cruises Inc. and relocate to Los Angeles.
* Replacing Yamagata in all capacities will be Tetsuichi 'Tony' Nozaki, presently managing director of NYK Line (Hong Kong). Nozaki will relocate to New Jersey.
* Kenji Mizushima, president and CEO of NYK Line (NA), will return to Japan as general manager, container trade management group and has also been appointed a corporate officer.
* Yasushi Orito has been promoted from general manager, strategic marketing and trade management, to executive vice president of NYK Line (NA). Yukihiro Tatara, executive vice president of the western area, will be assigned as general manager, management coordination group in Tokyo.
* Kiyoshi 'Karl' Sato, president of NYK Line (Canada) and vice president of Japan sales in North America, will relocate to Japan with Tokyo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd. (TSK Line).
* Sato will be replaced by Kazumi Komazaki, who will assume the position of vice president of Japan sales and president of NYK Line (Canada).
In Europe the following changes are being made:
* Minoru Sato, managing director of NYK Group Europe, will take on the role of NYK's executive vice president in Tokyo.
* NYK Group Europe's new managing director will be Masamichi Morooka, currently head of NYK's global liner division.
* Tom Boardley has been promoted to managing director of NYK's European liner operations, taking over from Kunihiko Miyoshi. Miyoshi is moving to Hong Kong with responsibility for NYK's liner and logistics operations.
