Hogg appointed MD of Unsworth

UK-based family-owned forwarder Unsworth has appointed Richard Hogg as its new managing director to “unleash a new type of digital forwarder”.

Established  in 1974 and now wholly owned by Geoff and Kathy Hogg, Unsworth is today one of the UK’s largest privately held forwarders.

Graduating from Durham University with a BSc in Physics, Hogg joined the global professional services network KPMG where he qualified as a chartered accountant, and was responsible for the application of analytics and data modelling for bluechip clients, a forerunner of supply chain modelling.

For the last nine years with Unsworth, Hogg, also a chartered shipbroker, has been working alongside his brother Charles, with particular focus on Unsworth’s finance, technology and human resources, leading Unsworth’s adoption of operating systems and responding to the digitalisation that is transforming the freight sector.

Among his first tasks as managing director Hogg is overseeing the relaunch of Unsworth’s digital rate platform Cargocost, and a suite of digital tools that will “position Unsworth as a forwarder first, and a technology expert second”.

Commenting on his appointment, Hogg said: “Technology is undoubtedly transforming shipping, but too much attention has been given to the tech and the ‘disruptors’, rather than the value either actually provide shippers.

“Which is why all our technology is focused entirely on simplifying shipping and empowering the shipper. Unsworth will transform forwarding by putting the shipper in control, by providing the information they need, when they need it, total supply chain visibility and control is just one-click away.”