Wallem Group appoints Luis Benito as Group Business Development & Marketing Director
Wallem Group, a leading ship management company, has announced the appointment of Luis Benito as its new Group Business Development & Marketing Director, effective 19 August 2024. Luis will report directly to John Rowley, Wallem Group CEO.
In his new role, Luis will be responsible for driving sustainable profitable revenue growth across the Group. He will work closely with Wallem’s Ship Management, SeaSafe, Ship Agency, and Commercial Services businesses to deliver innovation, product management, marketing, and sales strategies. Wallem’s business development, marketing, brand, and communications teams will report directly to Luis.
Luis has held several roles during his three decades at Lloyd’s Register, including Business Development Manager and General Manager in Korea, Marine Marketing Director, Innovation and Co-creation Director and most recently, Customer Success Executive Partner in Japan, where he managed key Tokyo-based maritime customers.
On Luis’s appointment, John Rowley, CEO, Wallem Group, said, ‘I am delighted to welcome Luis to Wallem Group to take up this key new role. Luis’s experience at Lloyds Register, his passion for innovation and service excellence, and the relationships he has built with key shipbuilders, shipowners, ship managers and related industry stakeholders, make him an ideal choice to drive the ongoing growth agenda at Wallem.’
Luis said, ‘I am excited to join Wallem, a heritage maritime brand, to build and drive business growth through Wallem’s client proposition and engagement.’
Wallem Group: Chief Executive Frank Coles has resigned
The board of Wallem Group announce that Chief Executive Frank Coles has resigned and will be leaving the Wallem Group shortly. As many will be aware Frank has been very active in highlighting the plight of seafarers during the Covid-19 pandemic and now wishes to become more involved in promoting their welfare, as well as pursuing other opportunities.
During his two and half years at Wallem Frank has initiated many changes aimed at enhancing customer service, obtaining operational efficiencies and improving safety. We wish Frank success for the future.
On an interim basis and until further notice, we are also pleased to announce that John Kaare Aune, Managing Director of Wallem Shipmangement Limited, will take over Frank’s role as CEO of Wallem Group Limited.
Wallem Chairman Nigel Hill says, “We would like to thank Frank for his drive and commitment over the past two and a half years. The events of the past twelve months have brought the daily lives and work of seafarers into sharp focus and we wish him well in his new endeavours on their behalf. The Wallem team will continue the focus on enhancing our products by the use of technology and providing our partners and clients first class service.”
Frank Coles says, “I am proud of the changes I have brought to Wallem and for the advances we have made. After all these years in the maritime industry I would now like to focus on putting something back and on the welfare and rights of seafarers.”