SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW BJOERN SPROTTE
Almost three months into his new role as CEO of Ship Management, we felt now was the perfect time to catch up with Bjoern Sprotte and discover more about his plans, the future of the industry and the challenges being faced. Q. So, Bjoern, you’ve taken on this new role in what can only be described as a challenging time for the industry and the business. How have things been since you started? A. Since starting I have found an incredibly strong group of highly committed and experienced people. I have been genuinely impressed by the level of competence and technical knowledge in all our offices across the world. As a business we also have excellent partnerships with many loyal customers that present some very interesting opportunities to collaborate further. I have also been inspired by ShipSure which is a unique and very well embedded platform. Going forward, we can use it even more effectively to support our crews on board, and our customers around the globe. Q. You are new to V.Group and now you have started, what is the reality of the position? A. As an outsider you always have your own perceptions of a business the size of V.Group but it’s always good when the reality exceeds your previous perceptions. As I have already said, I have been genuinely impressed by our people and their capabilities as well as the relationships we have with our customers. What is also clear is that here at V.Group we have a very strong brand. We also have the scale and expertise to deliver a flawless service and build on our already existing strengths as an industry leader. Q. So, what are your first priorities? A. As with everything we do at V.Group my number one priority is safety, which drives flawless service delivery. It is imperative that we operate safely across our entire fleet at any time and in anything we do and thereby deliver the best possible service to our customers through every single one of our fleet cells. We will continue to ensure that this approach is integrated throughout the entire business.
Another key priority for the business is the people. In these challenging times we must continue to work on and develop our talent program so that we a great place for the best people in the industry. We have one of the biggest managed tanker fleets in the world with more than 300 tankers so it is highly important that we continue to have the most competent and knowledgeable pools of crew in the industry. Q. The industry is facing some pretty big challenges at the moment and in the future. What do you see as the key issues and what do you think needs to be done? A. The most visible key issue facing our industry is still and will continue to be the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to continue to manage the wellbeing of our people both on board and in the offices, we cannot forget about that. Also, high on the agenda – and even more important for the long term – is environmental and social governance beyond compliance. With the ever-increasing need as an industry to be compliant with regulations we must use our expertise to support customers on their journey of commitment to operate in a more environmentally friendly way. Q. How will these challenges affect the business and your customers? A. These challenges will mean that we continue our transition from a transactional business to a partnership model where we connect people, competence and technology in order to provide our customers with true benefits from the scale of our business. Our business model must fully integrate with a customer’s business model and strategic views to help develop fleets, attract and train the best people and ultimately help our customers grow and be profitable. Q. And, finally, if there was one last thing you’d like to say to existing and prospective customers of V.Group, what would it be? A. We are here to work with our customers as partners and to help them steer a steady course even through troubled waters. I believe that with our competence we can help shape the industry as we come out of the pandemic. We will be continuing to be proactive in leading the industry and showing that, as a whole, we can emerge stronger the other side.
06 WAY POINT // ISSUE 3
Made with FlippingBook Proposal Creator