Dr. Helmut Sohmen has announced his retirement effective 20 November as Chairman of the Board of BW Group Limited and BW Offshore Limited, having served the group for 44 years with 28 years as Chairman.
Dr Sohmen’s son Andreas has been elected as the new Chairman of both companies. He will retain his current role as BW Group CEO until 1 April 2015, when Carsten Mortensen will take on the role of CEO.
These changes are part of a planned leadership transition. Helmut Sohmen comments: “It has been a privilege to oversee BW’s growth from a tanker and dry bulk business to a significant maritime oil and gas player involved in LNG, LPG, crude, products, chemicals and FPSOs. Andreas has been with BW for the past 15 years and I am confident that under his leadership, the company will continue to grow.”
Andreas Sohmen-Pao says: “My father has guided the company through numerous cycles over a period of forty years, and has been an exceptional Chairman to the group. He has shaped the group’s values and reputation, and his strong and decisive leadership has brought us to where we are today. Both of us are very grateful to our dedicated colleagues around the world who have been instrumental in the group’s success.”
For further information, please contact
Lisa Lim
Senior Manager
BW Group, Communications and Branding
+65 6434 5871
+65 9654 9405
BW Group, Communications and Branding
+65 6434 5871
+65 9654 9405
About BW Group
BW Group is a leading global maritime group involved in shipping, floating gas infrastructure and deepwater oil & gas production, and has been delivering energy and other vital commodities for more than 80 years, with a current fleet of over 180 ships. The group was founded by Sir YK Pao in Hong Kong in 1955 as World-Wide Shipping. In 2003, the group acquired Bergesen, Norway’s largest shipping company founded in 1935, and in 2005, the business was re-branded as BW. Today, BW Group operates the world’s largest gas shipping fleet (LNG and LPG combined), with a total of over 70 large gas vessels including FSRUs (floating storage and regasification units). BW Offshore operates the world’s second largest floating oil and gas production fleet (FPSOs), with 16 units in US, Brazil, Mexico, West Africa, North Sea, and Australasia. BW’s fleet also includes crude oil supertankers, refined oil tankers, chemical tankers and dry bulk carriers.
Press Release l Dr Helmut Sohmen Retires As Chairman of BW Group and BW Offshore Boards