The World Shipping Council (WSC) Board of Directors has elected Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the new Chair of the World Shipping Council Board. Randy Chen, Vice Chairman of Wan Hai Lines, has been elected Vice Chair.
Soren Toft and Randy Chen will serve a two-year term, effective immediately. The new Chair and Vice Chair succeed Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG, and Jeremy Nixon, CEO of ONE, who have served as co-Chairs of the WSC Board for two terms, starting November 2020.
WSC President and CEO Joe Kramek highlights the extensive expertise that Soren Toft and Randy Chen will bring, and their contributions to the global shipping industry.
“I am looking forward to working with Soren Toft and Randy Chen in their new roles. Both are esteemed leaders with a proven track record of driving innovation and sustainability in the global shipping industry. Their experience and expertise will be instrumental in continuing to develop the World Shipping Council as the united voice of liner shipping,” says Joe Kramek.
“I also extend my sincere gratitude to Rolf Habben Jansen and Jeremy Nixon for their exceptional leadership over the past four years, during a critical time for the industry and WSC. Their commitment has been instrumental in the Council’s growth and development, strengthening its representation internationally and extending its scope of work,” says Joe Kramek.
“It is an honour to step into the role of Chair for the World Shipping Council and to represent the global liner shipping industry alongside our members. WSC is today a respected voice of liner shipping, engaging with governments and organisations globally,” says Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.
“An ever-changing world presents both challenges and opportunities for our industry as we head into the future, and I am eager to further advance our work to shape the future growth of a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, safe and secure shipping industry,” Soren Toft adds.
Soren Toft has been Chief Executive Officer of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company since December 2020. He oversees all MSC’s global cargo businesses including the ocean liner MSC, the logistics activities of MEDLOG, the MSC Air Cargo planes, through to the towage activities of MedTug and Log-in Logistica among others.
He is Chair of the Board of Directors of the World Shipping Council, and a member of the Board of Directors of Terminal Investment Ltd (TiL), the terminals business which is majority-owned by MSC.
Before joining MSC, he was Chief Operating Officer and a Member of the Executive Board at Maersk. During his time at Maersk from 1994, he held various leadership positions in Europe and Asia. Soren was also Chairman of Hamburg Süd, Maersk Oil Trading and Maersk Container Industry.
Soren holds an executive MBA from IMD (International Institute for Management Development) in Lausanne, Switzerland.