ABS Management Changes in Asia, Middle East
Changes in the management of ABS activities in Asia and the Middle East have been announced by the class society. Veteran Middle East District Manager Joseph Brincat has been promoted to Vice President for the entire Middle East region, including Egypt and Libya, and Pakistan. Brincat replaces Stephen Auger who has been transferred to Busan, Korea as Vice President for the North Pacific region within the Pacific Division of ABS that includes Korea, Japan and the Philippines. Concurrently, the ABS Middle East regional administrative office will relocate from Doha, Qatar to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Responsibility for the society’s activities in Qatar will be handled by Martin Hruska who has been promoted to the position of Country Manager, stationed in Doha effective 1 September.
ABS New Management in Europe, Asia
Effective 1 July, ABS will introduce new senior management in its Europe and Pacific divisions. At that time, William J. Sember, currently President and COO, ABS Europe Ltd, based in London, will return to Houston as Vice President Global Marketing, responsible for further developing client relations in all sectors. Todd Grove, President and COO of the Pacific Division of ABS will move from Singapore to London, assuming the position of President and COO, ABS Europe Ltd. “Europe remains the center of our shipowner client activity,” said ABS Chairman and CEO Robert D. Somerville. Grove has previously served as President of the Americas Division of ABS and, prior to that, as Vice President Western Europe, based in London.
ABS Announces Middle East and Pacific Management Changes
ABS Taiwan Country Manager Stephen Auger has been named Regional Vice President, Middle East, for the classification society. Auger transfers to the society’s regional administrative headquarters in Doha, Qatar, replacing ABS veteran Roger Shimmin who will be retiring later this year. Shimmin has served as the Regional VP for the Middle East, with management responsibilities for ABS activities in 19 countries stretching from Pakistan to Lebanon, for the past four years. Shimmin and Auger will be working together over the next few months to provide a smooth transition of the administrative and client servicing functions. Assuming the position of Taiwan Country Manager is Steve Hryshchyshyn.
