News / Michael Schaecher set to leave CEVA after just one year as COO

© Khunaspix Dreamstime.

Michael Schaecher, CEVA’s COO of global air and ocean freight, is to leave the logistics company at the end of this month, in what is being indicated by industry sources as an unexpected departure. He is to be replaced by Helmut Kaspers.

The reasons for the move are not yet clear, but it is surprising, as he was given the top sea freight job in addition to his air freight responsibilities as recently as November. He has only been at CEVA for one year, a new role which was lauded at the time, and he had a place on the executive board.

CEVA has something of a history in frequently losing or replacing its top management. Mr Schaecher took over as global head of ocean freight after the departure of Dominik Tichelkamp, who spent just three years at the company.

There were many management changes under former CEO and Apollo man Marvin Schlanger, who resigned to be replaced by Xavier Urbain. Mr Urbain implemented his own management team, of which Mr Schaecher was one.

Mr Schaecher himself has had a varied career in the last few years. His previous job was as boss of doomed AirCargoGermany, which he joined after being EVP air freight for DHL Global Forwarding.

CEVA still faces financial challenges, as its debt pile continues to grow. Last month The Loadstar’s financial commentator suggested that the company would need to make significant job losses “to become viable at the operating level” if it could not find “significant growth in top line revenues”.

CEVA confirmed Mr Schaecher’s departure but declined to comment further.