Oiltanking transforms to accelerate the energy transition

November 01, 2021

• Oiltanking announces major changes aimed at accelerating growth and supporting its customers and partners with their sustainability ambitions
• Two new Business Units launched to leverage growth in diverging markets
• Aim is to increase value for its stakeholders, drive an ambitious ESG agenda, including the reduction of Oiltanking’s carbon footprint, and work with partners and customers towards a more sustainable world.

Oiltanking today announced a major transformation program that is designed to accelerate growth, and pave the way to achieving ambitious sustainability goals for the business, its customers and society at large.

The changes, which include the creation of two new Business Units, will enable each business to focus on its core business strategies to better meet evolving customer needs against a backdrop of escalating climate change challenges.

Climate change is evident, and Oiltanking is taking the resulting challenges seriously. The energy industry has an imperative to transform to help create a climate-safe world.  Oiltanking aims to be a frontrunner in enabling the industry to recalibrate and proactively support its partners achieving their sustainability ambitions.

To meet those ambitions, Oiltanking has accelerated its 2025 strategy and sharpened its focus by creating two new Business Units

• Global Chemical, Gas & New Energy Portfolio, to focus on accelerating growth in chemicals, gas and new energy and driving an ambitious ESG agenda. The headquarters of this entity will be based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, a major European hub of gas and chemicals, to be closer to key customers. The business will be led by Bas Verkooijen. Having worked for Shell, OMV and for Marquard & Bahls, Bas brings with him more than 20 years in Downstream Oil, Petrochemicals and the new energy sector with a focus on large scale growth and transformation initiatives in supply, logistics, business development and sales across the globe.
• LatAm Portfolio, to maximize Oiltanking’s growth potential in the Latin America region. Holger Donath will lead this business. With more than 27 years with Oiltanking, and as leader of Oiltanking Americas for the last three years, Holger has extensive knowledge and experience of the Latin America region and its growth potential.

Matti Lievonen, CEO, will continue to lead OT on its various growth paths supported by an experienced leadership team.  Matti joined Oiltanking in 2019 from Finnish business Neste, where he was president and CEO. He will be supported by René Anghel as CFO who joined Oiltanking in 2019 from Marquard & Bahls.

Commenting on the changes, Matti said: “We are embarking on our transformation journey from a position of strength. We have 50 years of experience in providing safe and reliable tank storage solutions and operations, and a highly skilled workforce with a wealth of engineering skills and experience in managing large industry projects. Together with our dedicated people at Oiltanking we have an exciting and ambitious journey ahead of us as we will partner with our customers to play an integral role in the energy transition and contribute towards a sustainable future.

The energy transition offers significant opportunity for growth in petrochemicals, gas and new energies. With our new Global Chemical & New Energy Portfolio we will be in prime position to pursue these opportunities through significantly increasing its brownfield, greenfield and M&A activity. At the same time our LatAm team aims at becoming a leading player of tank storage and logistics in the Latin American region with the ambition to realize growth opportunity in traditional as well as new and more sustainable energy sectors.”

As partner of choice for its customers and suppliers, Oiltanking is committed to continuing to operate at its usual high standards, with safety and continuity of operations being the highest priority. The business is working closely with its customers and partners to keep them continuously updated. Should you have any questions please contact your relevant company representative or e-mail us at communications@oiltanking.com.