PostNL and Norway Post today both revealed major restructuring moves including new managerialresponsibilities to streamline their activities and step up their ongoing strategic
re-positioning.Dutch postal group PostNL announced that its management board would be reduced to just twomembers, CEO Herna Verhagen and CFO Jan Bos, in future. Gerard Aben, Human Resources director, willretire in the first quarter of 2013 and his successor will not be a member of the Board ofManagement.
In addition, the company will set up a new Executive Committee comprising four senior managerswho are responsible for the daily management of the business. This will replace the current “Extended Executive Committee”.
This new “effective and efficient” management structure ensured a better distribution ofresponsibilities and a better connection to the challenges the business faces, while thecomposition of the team is in line with strategic objectives and the desired culture, PostNLstated.
In light of the proposed top structure, Pieter Kunz, head of operations for the Dutch postalbusiness, and Ger Jacobs, commercial director, have decided, in consultation with the Board ofManagement, to continue their careers outside PostNL, the company said. The Board of Management hasalso appointed Marcel Krom as director International.
The new Executive Committee will thus consist of Gerrit Mastenbroek (director Parcels), AlbertRodenboog (the new director Operations Mail Netherlands), Arno van Bijnen (acting directorCommercial Mail Netherlands) and Marcel Krom (director International).
CEO Herna Verhagen explained: “The new top structure and the proposed appointments are in linewith the strategic objectives of PostNL and the challenges we face. Furthermore, these changes area catalyst for the desired changes in culture. I regret the decision of Ger Jacobs and Pieter Kunzto leave PostNL and I will miss them as colleagues. A long and close collaboration comes to anend.”
Separately, Norway Post today unveiled a new group structure to take effect from October 1 anddesigned to strengthen its competitiveness and customer orientation. The key moves are the creationof two geographically-based logistics division to enable the group to benefit from additionalnational economies of scale and a new e-commerce/distance-selling division.
In the logistics field, the new “Norway Logistics Division” will incorporate all logisticsoperations in Norway, from packages and freight to temperature-controlled transportation andwarehousing, and will also manage all activities outside the Nordic region. This division will beheaded by Tore K. Nilsen, the former head of the postal division.
The new “Nordic Logistics Division” will cover logistics operations in Sweden, Denmark andFinland, including Bring Express. This division will be run by Tim Jørnsen with a new managementteam based in Stockholm, Sweden.
In a move to profit from the fast-growing distance-selling market (primarily e-commerce), thegroup is also creating a separate “Distance Trading Division” that will be responsible fordeveloping and providing services for large Nordic distance-selling customers. The company isseeking a suitable candidate to run this new division.
The Post Division, covering the mail activities in Norway and Sweden (Bring Citymail) is nowheaded by Executive Director Gro Bakstad following Nilsen’s move to the logistics division.
From October, Norway Post’s executive management will consist of CEO Dag Mejdell, CFO ToneWille, HR director Randi Løvland, communications director Elisabeth Gjølme and the executivedirectors of the four divisions.
“The aim is that by 2015 we will be a Nordic, integrated and industrialised group,” explainedMejdell.
