The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the World Maritime University (WMU) have announced the appointment of Mr. Torben Skaanild as the new Chairman of the Executive Board of the University. Mr. Skaanild is the Secretary General of BIMCO and will replace Mr. Jan Kopernicki, who is retiring.
Mr. Skaanild has had a long career within the shipping industry, having held executive positions in Canada, the Philippines, Thailand and Hong Kong, China, before returning to Denmark to join BIMCO in 1981 as Deputy Secretary General. In 1984 he was appointed Secretary General of BIMCO, and left in 1991 to join Dr. Helmut Sohmen and the World-Wide Shipping Group (now BW Group), Hong Kong, China, as a director.
On return from Hong Kong, China, he founded Skaanild and Partners, engaging in various advisory and investment projects including the turn-around and restructuring of small- to medium-sized companies. He was also involved with several companies at board-level, among other as Chairman of the Board of Dynatest International and associated companies.
In 2008, Torben returned to BIMCO in his old position as Secretary General, and Chairman of the Board of BIMCO Informatique.