The advisory board of Hamburg Süd has announced that it has moved to appoint Ottmar Gast to the post of chairman of the executive board, succeeding the outgoing Klaus Meves. Dr Gast will take on the role on 1 January 2009, when Dr Meves retires.

Dr Gast, currently the deputy chairman of the executive board, has been with the group since 1994. Dr Meves joined the group as a project manager in the corporate department for marketing in 1970, and has held various roles in the company in addition to being chairman of the executive board – a position he had held since 1995.

Joachim Konrad has been appointed to the post of deputy chairman of the executive board, effective 1 January, to fill the role left by Dr Gast.

Additionally, Hamburg Süd revealed that Arndt Vesperman is set to join the executive board as the fourth member to serve alongside Dr Gast, Heino Schmidt and Dr Konrad. Dr Vesperman, who currently heads up the dry tramp shipping division of Rudolf A. Oetker, will be responsible for the group's tramp operations.

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