Tim Scharwath to be boss of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight

Deutsche Post has appointed Tim Scharwath as the new chief executive of its DHL Global Forwarding, Freight division.
Scharwath will join the German logistics giant “within the next twelve months”. In the meantime Frank Appel, chief executie of Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL) retains responsibility for this division
Scharwath joins from rival logistics player Kuehne + Nagel International (K+N) where he was responsible for global airfreight.
Last week K+N said that Scharwath was to leave the company within the next 12 months in order to “take on a new challenge”.
It is now clear what form that challenge will take.
In its 2016 first quarter results, DPDHL said that the forwarding and freight arm’s operating earnings rose from €17m to reach €51m.  
But revenue in the Global Forwarding, Freight division decreased by 12.2% to €3.3bn over the first quarter of this year. Adjusted for negative currency effects, revenue declined by 9.3%.
Airfreight volumes slipped by 8.8% year on year to 476,000 tonnes of exports during the 2016 first quarter. It is the fourth quarter in a row the forwarder has seen its airfreight volumes slide on a year earlier.
In February this year, Appel Frank Appel rejected suggestions that his group’s forwarding arm was up for sale.
In a statement at the time to Air Cargo News, Appel said: “To clear up false rumours and to be unequivocal, DP DHL is not exploring the sale of our Global Forwarding and Freight Division (DGFF).
“We have a market leading position in this business with a strong brand, an unmatched global network and the best people in the industry.
“DGFF is core to our company and we see a good future for it as part of DPDHL Group”
Appel was responding more than a week after Reuters news agency issued a report saying that DHL Global Forwarding may be sold or spun off by Deutsche Post, with Japan Post Holdings a possible buyer.
In October last year, the German express and logistics giant said it would write off €345m due to a troubled freight forwarding IT platform which it had been developing as part of its New Forwarding Environment (NFE) transformation project.
Of the new appointment, Appel said: “We are very pleased that Tim Scharwath will become a member of the board of management, taking over responsibility for our Global Forwarding and Freight division. He comes with an impressive freight forwarding track record, and is ideally placed to continue the encouraging progress we start to see in our forwarding businesses, and which we will steadily grow over the years”
For over 20 years, Tim Scharwath has had several management positions within K+N. Under his leadership K+N’s airfreight business became number two globally.
In his role to date as executive vice president and member of the board, air logistics, group airfreight, he has global responsibility for the airfreight, sales and marketing organisation of the Kuehne + Nagel Group.
Prior to this position, Tim Scharwath held roles as regional president, north west Europe and the UK, and regional senior vice president, airfreight and member of the regional board, central Europe and Germany.
He was accountable for the migration of different country organisations, the integration of acquired companies, and the successful management of his business during the economic downturn in 2009.

Share this story

Related Topics

Latest europe news

Challenge Group launches freighter service to Mumbai

Challenge Group has decided to launch a scheduled freighter route between Mumbai (BOM) and Liège (LGG). Operating twice weekly, the…

Read More

Share this story

Hybrid Air Vehicles agrees production site for airship

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) has reached an agreement with the city of Doncaster in the UK for the development of…

Read More

Share this story

DANX Carousel calls for standardised electric vehicle battery transport rules

Time-critical logistics firm DANX Carousel has called on European rulemakers to standardise regulations around the transport and storage of electric…

Read More

Share this story

Air Cargo News

Air Cargo News
Established in 1983, Air Cargo News is the leading source of news, information, interviews, analyses and reports to the global airfreight industry. Our leading portfolio includes print, digital and events that give businesses in the airfreight industry the ability to connect with decision-makers in this sector.