Company Magazine for the Odfjell Group - April 2008

Laurence the “cadet”, on Bow LeopardJanuary 2006The terminal manAt the end of the millennium the wineryboom in Chile was more or less over, andfew new projects appeared. In 2000 hewas asked to take up a position at theprivate family-owned Terquim terminalin Chile, first on the commercial sideand later as general manager. “It was agood place to start”, he remarks, “andI experienced the benefits of an efficientship/terminal combination”. Threeyears later, in 2003, he was requestedto move to Brazil, to start working atthe private terminal headquarters inSao Paulo. However, at the same timehe had received a new commission tobuild a winery. This opportunity to endhis architect career “on a positive note”was too tempting, and he accepted theterminal job in Brazil on the conditionthat he could in parallel do this very lastwinery project. He stayed in Sao Paulofor three years, in various staff functions.In 2004 he was offered a seat onthe Odfjell ASA board of directors. “Ithas been incredible to be part of suchan important team”, he says. Not leastdid he find it interesting and useful tosee the decision basis “from both sides”,with his experiences in the organizationin mind.A brief spell in shippingIn 2006 Laurence was sent to Singaporeto learn shipping basics, first in shipmanagement and later on in charteringand operations. Already the firstweek, before the jetlag from his flightfrom Brazil had worn off, he was senton board Bow Leopard to experiencefirst-hand what life at sea is all about(see also Odfjell Quarterly 2006Q2).“Despite my family background in shippingand my military service in the Norwegiannavy, I had never before sailedon a ship”, he admits. He returned oneweek later with lots of impressions anda much better understanding. “It is essentialthat ship/shore understand andrespect each other’s realities, issues andrequirements”, he says and adds that hehopes to be able to sail with an Odfjellvessel again at least once a year. In additionto his shipping-related task andhis duties as a Board member, Laurencealso became involved in a number ofnew terminal projects in Asia. Becauseof all the travelling this required, hefound it difficult to handle his day-todaytasks, but all in all he looks back onhis period in Singapore as both interestingand educational.The Odfjell Terminals PresidentThe autumn of 2007 it was time againto pack his bags and very few personalbelongings, this time heading for Rotterdamto the newly relocated head officeof Odfjell Terminals to take up theposition as president. “I have movedaround so much, every time making thesacrifice of leaving behind friends andgood colleagues”, he laments. The lastmonths of the year he worked closelywith Jan A. Hammer, who was then ultimatelyin charge of our terminals, tostart to get to know the division, to beintroduced to our terminal partners,and to develop the further strategies.“A very tidy process”, he summarises.As to his immediate plans for the terminals,it is still early days. “We have avery good and professional organisation,so luckily we are not starting fromscratch”, he says. “Personally I have alot to learn in this job, and so far I feelthat I’m barely scratching the surface ofit all”. One of his first initiatives as presidentis to establish a Best Practices Committee,to develop a mutually agreedset of technical solutions on terminallayouts, equipment, product handlingand operational standards. He also aimsat building sufficient technical capacityat headquarters in Rotterdam to beable to take on more terminal projectsall over the world. “In this context it isessential that we further leverage thegeneral competence within the organisation”,he concludes.And how about his private life? Squashis still his favourite way of keeping fitand to blow off some steam. “In additionI like to follow from a distance thevineyard in Chile, which still is kind ofmy baby”, he admits. With this he wrapsup the interview and rushes off to anothermeeting, leaving us realising thatwe have, as the title rightly indicates,just scratched the surface.The new Odfjell Terminals President visiting OTKOdfjell Quarterly April 2008 23