Following Friday’s Splash exclusive that Simon Doughty will be stepping down as CEO of Wallem Group, the company’s owner and chairman Nigel Hill has stressed that it is business as usual at the Hong Kong-headquartered company.
“We have begun the search for Simon’s successor – the executive search is being handled by Jennifer Curtis at Cripps Sears in London. An announcement will be made when the right candidate has been found,” Hill stated in a note seen by Splash.
Doughty, who has been with the shipmanagement giant for 13 years and CEO for the past seven years, decided to return home to the UK to be closer to his family. Doughty had been heading up Wallem’s agency business when he was appointed to replace Rob Grool in 2011.
“This is not a decision that I have taken lightly, I have been deliberating about it for some months now, not least because I have a deep respect for our staff, customers and shareholders. I have reached the pinnacle of my career as Wallem Group CEO; a career spanning almost 35 years in the maritime sector. I am extremely proud of and passionate about Wallem, our heritage and our people and I feel that I have shaped the culture of the Group as it has shaped me,” Doughty wrote in a note to clients.
Hill, the Wallem chairman, stated today: “Simon, myself and the Wallem Group Board of Directors are focused on ensuring that it is business as usual. Simon has agreed to stay on as CEO until his successor as been found.”
