Business seminar: A.P. Moller-Maersk

More openness and focus on environment

Nils Smedegaard gave a speech at a business seminar held at CBS on 21 January 2010. The event was organised by Professors Nicolai Foss and Torben Pedersen from the CBS Center for Strategic Management and Globalization as well as Business Commentator Niels Lunde from the Danish newspaper Politiken. In Nils Smedegaard’s speech, he touched upon subjects such as A.P. Moller-Maersk’s new openness and increased focus on the environment, its handling of the financial crisis and what is required of a top executive.

Entire Executive Board to IMD International in Switzerland

Shortly after the appointment of Nils Smedegaard, the entire Executive Board went to visit one of the world's leading business schools, the IMD International in Switzerland, where they were given five tasks: debureaucratisation of the organisation, turning things around for Maersk Line, greater focus on performance and openness and creating a more extensive environmental policy. Nils Smedegaard finds it very satisfactory that they have been successful in turning things around for Maersk Line in spite of last year’s record loss – after extensive restructuring and efficiency measures. The Executive Board was taught to be sympathetic towards Maersk Line and to stop pointing fingers.

New communication strategy

In terms of communication, more openness was required – internally as well as externally. Internally, it was important for the staff members to be informed about current changes in order for them to remain motivated. Furthermore, it was necessary to inform the public of what was actually going on.

– The staff members saw the new communication strategy as a cultural revolution, went into shock and waited to see if it would pass. When they realised that it was not the case, they started to accept the new reality. All managers are now required to take a media training course, and they are expected to be able to comment on their respective areas. Everybody has a story to tell about climate, innovation, environment, etc. And those stories may help get our stakeholders involved, says Steen Reeslev, Head of Group Relations & Communications at A.P. Moller-Maersk.

Next seminar

The next seminar takes place on 16 March 2010 and features Danfoss CEO Niels Bjørn Christiansen. To read more about the next seminar, click here.