Shipping line NYKCool has announced major changes to its senior management, with the departure of present chief executive Mats Jansson and chief operating officer Lars Rutberg.

Mr Jansson, who has been at the helm of NYKCool for some 15 years, is to retire on 31 March 2009. Mr Rutberg, meanwhile, is also set to leave the group at the end of March 'in order to pursue other interests'.

Boris Gersling, presently regional vice-president in charge of NYKCool’s activities in South America, has been named as the company's new CEO. He will relocate from Santiago to Stockholm, the group confirmed.

Mr Gersling has broad international management experience in various segments of the shipping industry. Having started with J Lauritzen 20 years ago, he held management positions in Denmark and Brazil before taking up his current role in 2003.

“We are grateful to Mr. Mats Jansson for his leadership and valuable contributions as CEO during many years with the company,' commented NYKCool chairman Satoshi Masuda. 'At the same time, we express our deep satisfaction with the fact that we have succeeded in recruiting Boris Gersling as the new CEO of NYKCool. We welcome Mr Gersling to the headquarters in Stockholm and wish him every success in his new position.”

Mr Masuda also conveyed his thanks to Mr Rutberg for his contribution. “We also want to express our sincere gratitude to Lars Rutberg for his many years of dedicated and professional services, and wish both Mr Jansson and Mr Rutberg the best of luck for the future,' he said.