Breakbulk Veterans Share Biggest Project Challenges

Breakbulk Veterans consist of some of the most experienced logistics professionals in the business who have been regular contributors to BreakbulkONE. Join them to hear how they solved project snafus to apply to your own challenges today.

Interested in becoming a Breakbulk Veteran? If you have been in the business for at least 20 years and have experiences to share, we' like you to join the group. Expect get-togethers at Breakbulk events in 2021, write one story per quarter and enjoy networking with peers. Visit the Breakbulk Veterans page to fill out your form and we'll be in touch with you soon.
 

John Amos
Former Head of Global Logistics, Bechtel Corp.,
President, Amos Logistics

John Amos is an international logistics and transportation consultant specializing in issues related to planning, operations and regulatory issues. His experience encompasses the fields of ocean, air and surface transportation. For more than 45 years he has had international and North American positions in the fields of logistics, procurement and construction management.

More from John Amos: When Project Management Acts Unilaterally

Murray Cooper
Director Corporate Governance, LV Group

Murray has lived in-country working on projects in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. With a diversity of supply chain industry experience gained in executing supply chain logistics solutions in mining, resources, oil & gas, renewable energy, industrial projects, capital projects and sporting events, he strongly believes that time invested on reconnaissance is seldom wasted! Murray now resides in Singapore.
 

Riccardo Tippmann
Former Director and Board Member, Fagioli Group
Consultant, RTC

Riccardo is an Austrian citizen living in Milan, Italy, with more than 40 years in the heavy transport, heavy lifting and project forwarding industry. He joined the Fagioli Group in 1985 as business development manager and over 33 years with the firm he set up and managed several group companies in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Poland, UK, UAE, Iran, India, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and others. He served as executive director and member of the board at Fagioli Corporate global HQ from 2008 to 2018. Riccardo now operates as an independent professional consultant at his own firm RTC.

More from Riccardo Thompson: Anatomy of Complex Logistics for Italy-Mexico-US Job

Edward W. DeFrancesco
President, Universal LandSea Transport Inc.

Ed DeFrancesco has spent more than 60 years in the breakbulk and heavy-lift shipping industry. In 1957, Edo came ashore from the merchant marine and started working for Black Diamond Steamship where he became vice president and managed a “round-the-word” breakbulk service. His career in the heavy-lift industry started in earnest when he began handling chartering for Hansa Line. He was involved in the creation of the first custom-built American-flag heavy-lift ships. In the early 1980s, DeFrancesco established Universal LandSea Transport Inc. And became the U.S. sales agent for Jumbo Shipping. He remains at his post today, working with his son, Edward DeFrancesco II.

Philippe Somers
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, ACE 54

Philippe Somers is a multi-lingual Antwerp born, Belgian citizen, who spent more than half of his life overseas in the various industry corners of the project world, spread over Africa, Middle East, Europe, United States and Far East. He was one of the first staff that put industrial projects as an integrated core business on the map for DHL after their acquisition of Danzas. Before founding ACE 54, he set up Geodis’ global industrial projects network in more than 40 countries and made them one of the leaders in the project forwarding industry. More recently, he was VP Corporate Business Development at deugro, where he was also responsible for the development of different African regions. Philippe then created Dubai-based ACE 54, a unique concept where the company provides pricing and technical support to the mid-size and niche international project forwarders during their door-to-door tenders in Africa.

More from Philippe Somers: Shipping Emergency in Ramadan