The Supervisory Board of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE & Co. KG has appointed Jens Drewes as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hellmann effective August 2024. Drewes will succeed Reiner Heiken, who has decided to retire next year.
Reiner Heiken has significantly developed the company in the past five years
Reiner Heiken has been CEO of the global logistics service provider since the end of 2018 and has since successfully developed and realigned the company. As a result, Hellmann has been able to significantly expand its market position in recent years – both through organic growth and acquisitions – and to achieve another record result in 2022 with revenues of EUR 5 billion. In order to continue this successful corporate development in the long term, under Reiner Heiken a new corporate culture was initiated with the Hellmann Promise. Most recently, in the summer of this year, also a new corporate strategy “4ward27” was adopted, the implementation of which he will hand over to Jens Drewes in the middle of next year.
The shareholders Jost and Klaus Hellmann, together with the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Dr. Thomas C. Lieb thank Mr. Heiken on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board for his very successful work as CEO and wish him all the best for the future: “Mr. Heiken has succeeded in repositioning the company in recent years and setting it up strongly for the future,” says Dr. Thomas C. Lieb.
Jens Drewes to take over as CEO in August 2024
The Supervisory Board has identified the ideal successor for Reiner Heiken early on, appointing Jens Drewes into the CEO role as of August 2024. Drewes brings a wealth of experience in the logistics industry with a track record spanning over 30 years, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region and lately in Europe. Since the late 1990s, Jens Drewes has worked for Kuehne + Nagel, where he was most recently responsible for the European business. Starting in August 2024, Drewes will take on the CEO role encompassing Hellmann’s five regions, HR, Sales&Marketing, Corporate Development as well as Corporate Communications.
Jost and Klaus Hellmann as well as the entire Supervisory Board, represented by its Chairman Dr. Thomas C. Lieb, welcome Jens Drewes in his new role: “We are convinced that we have found the right successor to Reiner Heiken with the appointment of Jens Drewes as CEO. With his many years of international logistics experience and his strong ability to lead teams and inspire customers, Jens Drewes will continue the successful development of the company and open up new growth areas within the scope of the “4ward27″ strategy.”
As of January 1, 2024, the Management Board will be expanded to include Stefan Borggreve as CDO
Furthermore, to meet the growing demands of IT and digitalization and to reflect the company´s new strategy “4ward27”, the Supervisory Board has decided to expand the Management Board by appointing a Chief Digital Officer (CDO) to complement the existing three roles. As a result, starting January 1, 2024, Stefan Borggreve will assume the new Board position overseeing the existing functions IT & Digital as well as the new functions Innovation and Sustainability – both important pillars of the corporate strategy “4ward27”.
As long-standing and experienced members of the Management Board Jens Wollesen and Martin Eberle will ensure ongoing continuity in the leadership team: As Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jens Wollesen will continue to focus on the strategic development of Hellmann´s products sea- and airfreight, overland transport, and contract logistics. The contract with Martin Eberle, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), was renewed as scheduled for another five years.
