Hong Kong-based Wallem Group, a provider of technology driven maritime solutions, announced that John-Kaare Aune will be stepping aside as Wallem Group’s chief executive and after a period of transition will leave in January 2024.
Having joined Wallem in 2019 as managing director, shipmanagement, John-Kaare Aune was appointed as Group chief executive in January 2021.
Following Aune’s departure, the Wallem Board has appointed John Rowley to succeed him, with effect from 1st January 2024.
John Rowley is currently senior vice president global food and transportation divisions at NSF, prior to which he was CEO SAI Global Assurance following eight years on the executive team at the Lloyds Register Group, as CEO Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) as well as the Group’s Asia Pacific President.
Wallem Group´s incoming chief executive John Rowley said, “I am thrilled to be joining Wallem Group as CEO of this amazing organisation. Wallem is one of the maritime industry’s most trusted and respected brands, and I look forward to working together with the Wallem board, management, and employees, as well as the many clients and stakeholders, to lead the company forwards through the next chapter of its incredible voyage.”
On his departure, John-Kaare Aune, outgoing Wallem Group chief executive, noted that it was a difficult decision to step aside as the Wallem Group chief executive. However, with operations having normalised after the impact of the pandemic, he felt that the “time was right,” as he characteristically said.
“Now that my successor has been identified, I will be exploring new opportunities. It has been an honour to have had the opportunity to be part of the Wallem Group, we have improved client service levels, continued the digitalisation of the company services, and set the foundation for Wallem’s journey towards decarbonisation.”
