
Press Release March 6, 2013
Jean-Claude Charlo, New General Manager in France
The shipping company DFDS Seaways has appointed Jean-Claude Charlo as the new Managing Director of its French activities.
From today, Jean-Claude Charlo will be at the head of the French activities of the Danish shipping company. The group's activities in France include a freight service between Marseille and Tunis, offices in Paris and Dieppe and port operations in Calais, Dunkirk and Le Havre. The structure also includes a sales office in Spain.
DFDS Seaways employs 750 French employees.
Executive Vice President Peder Pedersen Gellert, a member of the DFDS Seaways Board of Directors and head of the group's maritime division, says: "Jean-Claude Charlo will not be a new name for the French maritime community. In 1999, he was appointed chief financial officer of the shipping company CETAM specializing in the transport of new cars, and as an employee of the group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, he participated in the establishment of the company LD Lines in 2003 and has contributed to its development until today. He also took the lead in operations and played a major role in the successful integration of DFDS Seaways and LD Lines when, in 2012, DFDS Seaways and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs formed a joint venture merging their four cross-Channel ferry services . These maritime services are now operated under the DFDS Seaways banner. "
"I am naturally very happy that Jean-Claude has decided to use his great experience to conduct our activities in France and I look forward to working with Jean-Claude Charlo to continue to strengthen DFDS Seaways in France".
As part of his new role, Jean-Claude Charlo will also represent DFDS Seaways in the French media.
"I am determined to develop our business in France. DFDS Seaways and its 5,900 employees operate approximately 60 vessels on 27 routes and a logistics network throughout Europe. Financially, it is a very solid company which, despite the current recession and the resulting losses of overcapacity in the Channel and the North Sea, managed to generate an operating profit of 147 million euros in 2012 ", explains Jean -Claude Charlo, Managing Director of DFDS Seaways France & Méditerranée.