Wallem appoints John-Kaare Aune as new CEO

(Posted on 25/10/21)

John-Kaare Aune has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at Wallem Group after a successful term as Interim CEO.

Having joined Wallem in 2019 as Managing Director, Shipmanagement, John took over as Group CEO on an interim basis in January 2021 following the resignation of Frank Coles.

John's appointment as permanent CEO, effective from 1st October 2021, recognises his hard work and commitment in overseeing Wallem’s operations during what has been a challenging year for the maritime industry.

Wallem Chairman Nigel Hill commented: “We are very pleased to confirm John-Kaare’s appointment to the permanent CEO role and the wealth of experience that he brings. The past few months have been challenging to everyone in the shipping industry and we have been very impressed with the calm and professional manner in which he has performed throughout his stewardship of the Wallem Group as interim CEO. We are confident that John-Kaare will take the Wallem Group forward and deliver the excellent safety and environment-focused customer service that Wallem’s clients demand and the sustainable, long term growth and profitability that matches the vision of Wallem’s shareholders.”

John-Kaare Aune said, “I am excited and honoured to have the opportunity to lead Wallem as the Group’s CEO. I look forward to continuing the journey with our esteemed colleagues, leadership team and the board of directors of advancing Wallem for the future needs of our clients, employees, environment, and community. Together we will be concentrating on the growth of Wallem by having a sharp focus on delivering excellent client-service to our partners and strengthening our position as one of the leading providers of maritime services. By combining Wallem’s broad industry experience with the application of new technologies, we will be in excellent stead to support our partners in achieving sustainable value and assist them in our transition towards decarbonisation in the years to come.”

For his new role as CEO, John is able to draw on a broad experience in international shipping. Before joining Wallem, he worked as Regional Director – Asia Pacific at the Cayman Registry, playing a key role in the growth of its global commercial activities. He had previously worked at the Norwegian Maritime Directorate. He is a naval architect and holds a degree from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Established in 1903, Wallem has pioneered the concept of third-party ship management. Wallem Group is a leading provider of maritime solutions, offering services supporting the complete lifecycle of a vessel. Wallem’s extensive portfolio includes ship management, agency services, commercial management, asset management, crewing and training.