KCI Konecranes has merged its two European regional divisions. Western Europe and Nordic & Central Europe are now a single region: Europe. Harry Ollila is appointed president of Region Europe. William Maxwell is appointed vice president, Region Europe and managing director of Lloyds Konecranes which is the UK maintenance service operation of the group.
A further change sees the introduction of a global management structure for KCI Konecranes International’s maintenance services division which was previously regionally managed. Tom Sothard (pictured) heads this up as president, World Wide Service Operations. Sothard also remains vice president, Region Americas.
Konecranes’ other two business areas, special cranes and standard lifting equipment, already had a global management structure.
Other new appointments in the company see Tapani Kiiski become chief information officer of KCI Konecranes International. Kiiski’s new responsibilities include group IT strategy.
Meanwhile, president and chief executive Stig Gustavson has been elected chairman of the board for 2000 of Finland’s largest industry organisation, the federation of Finnish Metal, Engineering & Electrotechnical Industries (MET). The MET has about 1100 member companies. Gustavson said that, to make time for his new role, he will relinquish his various non-executive directorships in other companies.
