MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced that Soren Toft started his new role as Chief Executive Officer with the company on 2 December 2020.

In a statement, MSC said Toft will report directly to Diego Aponte, MSC Group President, and Gianluigi Aponte, Founder and MSC Group Chairman.

"In his role as CEO, Soren Toft oversees MSC’s global cargo businesses including ocean liner and logistics. He will also be a member of the board of directors of Terminal Investment Ltd (TiL), the terminals business which is majority-owned by MSC," the Geneva-based MSC added.

Soren Toft joins MSC from Maersk, where he served as Chief Operating Officer since 2013 and later as a Member of the Executive Board.

"His impressive long-standing career in shipping over more than two decades and extensive experience in leadership roles will bring significant value to MSC’s cargo businesses, building on the company’s existing strengths and boosting its development plans even further," MSC said.

Toft officially took over the CEO role 13 months after quitting as chief operating officer at Maersk.

“With his twenty-five years of experience in leadership roles at Maersk, and his comprehensive understanding of the future of the container shipping supply chain, Soren is the ideal match to help lead MSC into the future at the helm of our family company, building on the strategy which has made MSC such a growing success these past five decades,” said Diego Aponte.

Toft, meanwhile, commented that he is “very excited and humbled” by the opportunity given to him by the Aponte family.

“Helping to preserve the MSC DNA and lead such a successful company into the future is a great honour and a privilege for me,” he said.