Global Ship Lease Inc. has appointed Alain Wils and John Van de Merwe to the company’s board of directors, following their nomination by its largest shareholder, CMA CGM.
Wils currently serves as a consultant in the shipping and logistics industries, with more than 40 years of experience. He was managing director of the shipping group Delmas Vieljeux from 1982 to 1992. After serving as chairman and CEO of Sceta International, a leading European logistics and freight forwarding company, Wils was a managing director and then executive board member of CMA CGM from 1996 to 2008.
Van de Merwe provides consultancy services in transportation and logistics, and also has more than 40 years of industry experience. Following his 28-year tenure at SEA-LAND Service Inc, in which he served in various management and executive positions as well as officer of the company, Van de Merwe served from 2000-2006 as president and CEO of CMA CGM (America).
“With their extensive experience throughout the transportation and logistics industries, we believe that these two qualified Directors will add real value to the Company and its Board and will thereby actively contribute to shaping GSL's future strategy,” said Rodolphe Saadé, executive officer and member of CMA CGM Group’s Board of Directors.
CMA CGM, founded and led by Jacques R. Saadé, is the world’s third largest container shipping company and has a turnover of US$15.9 billion in 2013.