Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has announced the appointment of Lee I'Ons as the new Regional CEO for the IMEA (India, Middle East and Africa) region and member of the International Executive Board, effective April 1, 2025.

I'Ons, a South African native, will succeed Madhav Kurup, who has led the region since joining Hellmann in 2008 and was recently promoted to the Global Management Board as the COO for Airfreight, Seafreight, and Contract Logistics.

I'Ons brings 30 years of logistics experience spanning Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. He began his career with a shipping agency in Durban before moving on to Kühne+Nagel, where he held various senior roles over the past 26 years. Most recently, he served as national manager of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and President of the Middle East and Africa.

In his new role at Hellmann, I'Ons will focus on accelerating growth within the IMEA region. He will also build on the strong regional development of recent years, during which the IMEA region – now home to 2,000 employees across 14 countries and six vertical joint ventures – remains a vital growth driver for Hellmann.

The region includes some of the fastest-growing markets such as India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as emerging opportunities across Africa.

"We are delighted to welcome Lee on board to lead such a strategically important geographical cluster. IMEA has been a driving force of innovation and growth for Hellmann over the past decades. While we are already market leaders in sectors like Automotive and Pharma, Le's leadership will be fundamental in building on the strong foundation laid by Madhav and his team as we pursue our expansion plans," said Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.