DHL Supply Chain strengthens leadership team with new key appointments in Asia Pacific
SINGAPORE : DHL Supply Chain, the global leader in contract logistics, has announced three new key leadership appointments in Asia Pacific. The company has appointed Sivananthan Sukumaran (Siva) as Head of Operations for DHL Supply Chain Southeast Asia. Siva was most recently the Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Indonesia.
Effective January 1, 2024, Matthias Gehrsitz takes over from Siva as the Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Indonesia. Meanwhile, Louis Liao has been appointed as the new Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Taiwan.
“We are excited to announce these key leadership appointments, marking a significant stride in fortifying our management team in Asia Pacific. Each of these leaders brings their own set of unique expertise and proven track record in enhancing customer service and innovation. Their roles will be instrumental in navigating our teams through the ever-evolving logistics landscape and reinforcing our position as the global leader in contract logistics,” said Javier Bilbao, CEO DHL Supply Chain Asia Pacific.
Sivananthan Sukumaran takes on a new role of Head of Operations for DHL Supply Chain Southeast Asia
In his new role, Siva will be responsible for enhancing overall operational efficiency and performance, ensuring the successful implementation of new business wins across the organization’s Southeast Asian cluster.
Siva joined DHL Supply Chain in 2014 as DHL Supply Chain Indonesia’s General Manager of Operations and later rose to the role of Senior Operation Director for Consumer and Retail. As the Managing Director, he oversaw a diverse team of over 4,500 employees and earned a stellar reputation for driving growth and improving their overall performance in DHL Supply Chain Indonesia. DHL Supply Chain Indonesia has been ranked the #1 Best Place to Work® in 2023 and has been certified as a Great Place to Work for four consecutive years since 2020.
Matthias Gehrsitz assumes the position of Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Indonesia
Gehrsitz succeeds Siva as the Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Indonesia. He comes to DHL after an 11-year tenure at DB Schenker Malaysia where he held various roles in Project Management, Tender Management, Solution Design, and Operations before taking on a leadership role as the National Head of Business Development and Commercial Management.
In his new capacity, Gehrsitz is tasked with continuing DHL Supply Chain Indonesia’s growth trajectory. This includes overseeing the upcoming DHL Maheswara Green Logistics facility in West Java, Indonesia, which will increase the warehouse space in Indonesia by 10 percent, adding 40,000 square meters. With this operational expansion, the company is also poised to create 500 new jobs by 2024, primarily in warehousing and value-added services.
“These management appointments underscore our ongoing commitment to the region, following our significant €350 million investment announced last year under the ‘Grow Southeast Asia’ initiative. Siva and Matthias are leaders with extensive experience and market insights. Their leadership will be crucial to the business as we continue to expand and tailor our solutions to the diverse demands of our customers in one of the fastest growing regions in the world,” added Andries Retief, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Southeast Asia, to whom both Gehrsitz and Siva report.
Louis Liao appointed as the Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Taiwan
Liao is a familiar face to DHL Supply Chain, having begun his career as an Assistant Operations Manager in DHL Supply Chain Taiwan’s Service Logistics operations team in 2008. In 2014, Liao relocated to Japan to assume the role of Senior Manager for the Technology sector at DHL Supply Chain Japan, where he was instrumental in customer development and in the implementation of global IT projects for Service Logistics. Subsequently, he held several senior management roles until 2018 across different countries and functions, covering operations, key account management, solution design, and commercial development.
Before rejoining DHL Supply Chain Taiwan in 2024, Liao oversaw country strategy, planning and implementation as the Managing Director of S.F. Express in Taiwan. He successfully led the organization through the Covid-19 pandemic and initiated long-term strategic infrastructure investments.
In this role, Liao reports to Edwin Wong, Senior Vice President, Service Logistics AP, Taiwan & China Rep Office. According to Wong, “Louis is a veteran of Taiwan’s service logistics industry and brings with him extensive experience and expertise in this market. With Louis at the helm, we look forward to him realizing the full potential of DHL Supply Chain Taiwan as a market leader that delivers long-term growth and value for our customers.”
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