Associated British Ports Holdings Ltd announced today that Peter Jones, formerly the chief executive of Mersey Docks & Harbour Co (MDHC), will take over as chief executive on April 1. He replaces Bo Lerenius, who is retiring after eight years in the role.
During his time at MDHC, Peter Jones expanded the group’s ports, transport and logistics interests and increased the group’s turnover, with the share price outperforming both the market and the transport sector, before MDHC was taken over by Peel Ports in 2005.
Mr Jones is a non-executive director of Through Transport Mutual Insurance; he has also served as a non-executive director of the UK Major Ports Group, the leading port-industry trade association, and as a member of the Bank of England‘s North-West Quarterly Panel.
Mr Lerenius joined the ABP in 1999 as group chief executive. Since joining the company, the group has secured 90 new customer agreements and achieved 36% growth in underlying profit in its UK ports business. Under his leadership, the market capitalisation of the group more than trebled, to over £3bn, culminating in the sale of the business to Admiral Acquisitions Ltd (UK) in 2006.
