Freight forwarder and logistics firm Panalpina has announced the appointment of Mario Kropf as the new regional CEO for its AMEC (Africa, Middle East, Central Asia) business region.

Mr Kropf will assume his new position on August 1, and report directly to CEO Monika Rebar. He will be taking over responsibility for the AMEC region from chief operations officer Jorge Engenderer, who has been managing this region on an interim basis for the past few months.

The AMEC region is the backbone of Panalpina oil and gas and project business. "With his vast managing experience, understanding of the customers' business and his in-depth industry know-how in the project and oil and gas segments, Mario Kropf will ensure that the AMEC region will further develop and prosper in the future," said Ms Rebar in a company statement.

Mr Kropf, a Swiss, has gained extensive logistics and managerial experience from having spent much of his career in Africa and Asia. Since 2001 he was the managing director for Panalpina Central Asia area, overseeing country organisations in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and a back office in Dubai.

Before moving to Central Asia, he was employed with Panalpina India, which operates five business units and three sales offices. From 1975 until 1981 he served as transport and project manager of Panalpina Nigeria.