The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) has appointed Beth Ann Branch president & chief executive officer of Port NOLA and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), effective December 1, 2024.

The Port of NOLA announced that Branch is a recognized commercial strategist with more than 20 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry.

She replaced executive vice president and chief financial officer Ronald Wendel Jr., who served as Port NOLA's acting president & CEO/acting CEO of NOPB, who is also instrumental in moving "key strategic initiatives," at the port, like the US$1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal, forward during this transitional period.

 [Source: Port NOLA]

"After a comprehensive national search, it became clear that Beth Ann Branch is the visionary leader needed to help move Port NOLA and Louisiana forward," said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. 

"Her deep understanding of the commercial landscape and her track record of fostering rapid economic growth will ensure that our State remains a critical player in the global supply chain. With Beth at the helm, we're poised to strengthen our State's role as the premier trade and commerce gateway to the Nation," he added.

Branch joins Port NOLA from the Alabama Port Authority in Mobile, where she has served as chief commercial officer since 2021.

Prior to that role, she led business development and international marketing for the Port of Oakland's maritime division.

"Beth Ann Branch is exactly the kind of leader we need to guide our next phase of growth," said Mike Thomas, chairman of Port NOLA and NOPB. 

"Her extensive experience, strategic mindset, and proven ability make her uniquely qualified to take on this critical role. As we continue to advance transformative projects, Beth's leadership will be essential in positioning the Port as a leading force in international trade and a key driver of economic prosperity for our region."

Former Port NOLA and NOPB chairman Joseph Toomy cited Branch' "extraordinary depth of maritime expertise and international trade experience", which she is bringing to the Port of New Orleans.

Additionally, Branch worked in various leadership positions at Maersk for 18 years, including at the company's US regional headquarters outside New York and global headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark.