ABP Humber welcomes Laura Wood as new Head of Commercial

(Posted on 04/07/24)

As Head of Commercial, Laura will head up the team responsible for Associated British Port’s wide range of customer relationships central to the company’s mission of Keeping Britain Trading across its four Humber ports of Grimsby, Immingham, Goole and Hull.

Laura joins the Humber team after working as Business Development Manager across ABP’s portfolio looking at opportunities for the energy transition, fuels of the future and products of the future. The role involved working closely with senior stakeholders across both business and government to build partnerships to progress complex projects in areas like alternative fuels and carbon capture.

Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber said: “We are delighted to welcome Laura to the Humber. She brings with her a wealth of expertise and skills to the role, and has already had an established background in the ports sector before she joined ABP.

“Laura’s appointment is the next step in a refreshed, focused and reinvigorated Commercial team.”

Prior to working for ABP Laura worked for Peel Ports at the Port of Liverpool where she worked in the commercial team helping to boost freight volumes using the Manchester Ship Canal and has also worked for Frontier, the UK’s leading crop production and grain marketing business, for several years.

Laura is keen after coming out of a long-term strategic view to look at long term solutions for customers integrating her green energy experience to create opportunities for ABP and customers to meet targets.

Laura said: “I’m delighted to be working in the Humber and coming back to the type of role looking at how ABP can enable customers to deliver on their targets. It’s exciting to be heading up the dynamic Humber Commercial team who are experienced across multiple sectors and focused on delivering customer solutions.

“I am also looking forward to working alongside our property team and optimising what we can do in the port to bring customers supply chain solutions that combine ABP’s unrivalled land holdings, operational experience and port infrastructure.

“ABP have shown real commitment to supporting me in developing my career including through maternity leave. My experience is that they have broken the mould when it comes to supporting women in their careers.”

Laura isn’t totally new to the Humber, having previously worked in the Port of Immingham when she brought the hydrogen fuelled Terberg terminal tractor project to the container terminal. The joint pilot project received funding from ORE Catapult through Innovate UK’s Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), following funding of initial feasibility from the Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.