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niels Hartmann
Hartmann handed the reins early on
Niels Hartmann found himself at the helm just four years after joining the group
TAKING the helm of German shipping group Hartmann in
Leer was always an option for Niels Hartmann. His father,
Alfred Hartmann, started the company in the 1980s with a
single vessel and built it into a giant with more than 130 ships.
But Niels Hartmann wanted to keep his options open and
decided to study business management at the University of
Kiel rather than train at a shipping company.
“I took business studies not least to have other possibilities,”
the 37-year-old says, but nevertheless his interest in the
industry was clearly established as his PhD thesis was titled
“National Location Factors for Shipowning Companies”.
After a post-doctorate internship at P&O Nedlloyd’s offices
in Sydney, he decided to give shipping a go. “In 2004, I entered
the company and started to build up the offshore unit,” he says.
In 2007, he was appointed a member of the management board.
One year later, he became chief executive – shortly before the
financial crisis started, bringing him his first big task.
Initially, his father continued to be very active, but “then he
pulled out of the daily business step by step”, Mr Hartmann
says. Alfred Hartmann is still connected to the company via the
16 next generation 2012
Neils Hartmann:
winning the trust of
employees is vital
supervisory board and one of his two daughters also works for
the group and is responsible for the real estate division.
Besides the difficult situation facing most major shipping
markets, the most important challenge for the young chief
executive has been winning over the staff. “Of course, there
are things you do differently, and winning the trust of the
employees is very important,” he says.
At present, he does not have plans to make major changes
to the business’ strategy. “The diversified fleet structure has
been an advantage during the past years,” Mr Hartmann says.
The group owns containerships, gas tankers, offshore vessels
and bulk carriers as well as product tankers and multipurpose
vessels.
Hartmann’s fleet has grown rapidly during the past years,
so ordering newbuildings is not much of a priority right now.
“During the past five years our fleet has more than doubled.
Now we have to see that the organisation grows accordingly,”
he says.
The group’s construction of a new office building in Cyprus is
just one such example of how it intends to fulfil that ambition.