Copenhagen, 29 January 2009
Announcement no 02/2009
Changes to the Executive Management of DFDS A/S
CFO Christian Merrild will leave DFDS in April by his own wish. At the same
time, Executive Management will be expanded with Björn Petrusson, who will
strengthen the business' sales focus.
DFDS' longstanding CFO, Christian Merrild, has decided to leave DFDS in April
2009. “I have been very privileged and have had 16 good years at DFDS. But
several years ago I decided that I wanted to leave the post of CFO when I
reached my mid-fifties so that I could make some of my lifelong dreams happen.
This is why I am not taking any other CFO posts either. I also want to
emphasise that there is no connection to the changes in the ownership structure
- that is purely coincidental timing. It is good for DFDS that DSV has become
one of the owners. I believe that it will strengthen the company's development
and create a basis for increased growth,” says Christian Merrild.
“Christian Merrild has made a significant contribution to DFDS and has ensured
continuity in the company's management over many years. We are therefore sorry
to see Christian leave the management of DFDS. Naturally, we wish him the very
greatest success and good health in the next phase of his life. We are happy
that Christian has agreed to continue until April. We have now started work on
finding a replacement for Christian Merrild and we hope to have a new CFO in
place during the spring,” says DFDS' CEO, Niels Smedegaard.
Expanding Executive Management
Meanwhile, a decision has been taken to expand the Executive Management to
reinforce the commercial focus on freight operations. This means that the
group's manager for Freight Sales Solutions and executive office of the DFDS
Tor Line subsidiary in Sweden, Björn Petrusson, becomes a new member of the
Group's Executive Management, where he receives the title, Executive Vice
President, Sales & Marketing. The Executive Management thus consists of Niels
Smedegaard as CEO and the six Executive Vice Presidents: Christian Merrild
(CFO) until April 2009, Peder Gellert Pedersen (Ro-Ro Shipping and Terminal
Services), Carsten Jensen (Passenger Shipping), Ole Sehested (Container
Shipping and Trailer Services), Henrik Holck (HR) and Björn Petrusson (Sales).
Björn Petrusson (46) has been Managing Director of DFDS Tor Line AB since 2001,
based in Göteborg. He holds a Masters of Science degree and has previously
worked at Ewalds Cargo Care in the Netherlands as a Managing Director, Bulten
Automotive as a Global Key Account and Supply Chain Manager and SCA Mölnlycke.
Björn Petrusson continues as responsible for DFDS Tor Line AB in Sweden and
DFDS Tor Line NV in Belgium. He will keep his base in Göteborg, where he lives
with his wife and their five children.
Further information: CEO Niels Smedegaard, +45 33 42 34 00
Or CFO Christian Merrild, +45 33 42 32 01
DFDS - a leading sea-based transport network in Northern Europe. DFDS has
around 4,300 employees and employs a fleet of around 60 ships. DFDS was founded
in 1866 and is listed on OMX, the Nordic Stock Exchange Copenhagen.
