Cover Story

from Maritime CEO Issue Two 2020

by Splash

MarPoll

Cultural lockdown

Books Heidi: Wild Swans by June Chang

Esben: by Michael Palin

Bjorn: Red Notice by Bill Browder

The first episode conducted, technology. someone who has for years champiZoom-style, featured Esben Poulsson, ICS’s Poulsson praised the oned the idea of less rigid working the chairman of the International industry for how it had handled the hours for shipping. Chamber of Shipping (ICS), dialling in pandemic to date. “We need to change as an indusfrom Singapore, Heidi Heseltine, CEO “It underlines what I have always try to embrace more flexible working. of UK-based Halcyon Recruitment said about this industry,” Poulsson It’s one of the things that makes us and Bjørn Højgaard, the CEO of shipsaid. “It is amazingly resilient and very unattractive as an industry,” management giant Anglo-Eastern amazingly flexible and has the ability Heseltine said, pointing out that it and chairman of the Hong Kong to change course very quickly as would be good from for both workShipowners’ Association. conditions dictate.” life balance as well as a cost saving

Højgaard discussed how Højgaard predicted there will be perspective. impressed he has been with the speed much less business travel once the Many of the viewpoints raised in with which shipping has gone digital virus recedes with shipping embracthis debut episode would be chewed during the coronavirus and how ing more flexible hours. over by the luminaries in the shows seafarers had soldiered on brilliantly “We will never get back to the that followed. ● during the crisis.

“Ashore I must say I don’t think any of us were quite ready to go digital in our communications and daily processes like we have done and yet it has been a remarkably smooth process,” Højgaard said.

Shipping has in general adopted a solution-driven, empathetic approach to handle the crisis, according to Halcyon Recruitment’s Heseltine.

“It has been the cohesion and collaboration that has made the most difference for me,” she said.

Whereas many in shipping had Sponsored by previously been “technophobic”, Heseltine reckoned the current situation has allowed everyone

way things were. Flexible working “ We need to change as an industry to embrace more flexible working. It’s one of the things that makes us hours, much more video conferencing that is here to stay. The way we have adopted technology over the last few very unattractive ” weeks will have a lasting impact,” Højgaard said.

The Dane’s point of view was of each show. to appreciate the real benefits of heartily embraced by Heseltine,