Freight’s


Mike Duke CEO, Walmart


T


here is no question that Mike Duke is the world’s largest shipper. The exact amount of freight purchased by Walmart remains open to question,


and given the current economic volatility is naturally in a state of flux. However, our sister publication Lloyd’s List estimates that it controls around 750,000teu a year. That amount puts it behind many of the largest sea


freight forwarders in terms of buying power, and yet we all know that in a world where the customer is supposed to be king, Walmart wears the crown. In its US stores alone, there are goods from 61,000


suppliers from 55 different countries, while around 30% of the US population hands cash to its tills at a rate of $36 million every hour! In this respect, it has become the template for how a


global retailer works, and its rapid expansion in China is indicative of just how global its operation has become. And there is every indication, with its attempt to force its way


into the Indian market, that it is still very much in expansion mode. It should come as little surprise then that Duke was


appointed CEO in 2009, since prior to that he was in charge of its international operations and also oversaw its immensely complex supply chain – the first indication that a recession was on its way was early in the sub-prime crisis when Walmart halted imports coming through the port of Los Angeles, predicting that consumer spending was about to dip. That in itself speaks volumes about the impact Walmart


has had on the freight industry, as well the fact that it was one of the pioneers in terms of introducing charges on its transport providers for late – or early – shipment deliveries. And where it has beat a path, other shippers are


following, because it has shown just how fundamental the supply chain is to the success of any business.


Norbert Dentressangle Chairman, Norbert Dentressangle S


everal of the French entries on this list are executives who operate companies that have enjoyed the support of the state. Not so Norbert


Dentressangle, who launched his Lyon-based company in 1979. It has grown into Europe’s largest haulier, partly by


organic growth and partly by acquisition. With the 2007 purchase of Christian Salvesen it effectively doubled in size, but that proved only a staging post for further expansion.


Oliver Evans Head of Cargo, Swiss World Cargo


industry. He is playing a key role in advising the US Customs and Border Protection Agency on air cargo security and his focus on driving results is ensuring that GACAG is becoming an influential voice, speaking and lobbying on industry issues. Evans is also responsible for the cargo and mail


O 14 IFW-Lloyd’s Loading List | Freight’s Global 100 | 2012


liver Evans, a key member of the Global Air Cargo Advisory Group (GACAG), is working to drive change and efficiencies in the air cargo


business of the niche carrier, Swiss World Cargo, the first carrier to partner with IATA in its initiative to deploy key IATA managers at airline headquarters to help them understand the challenges and priorities of the members. Evans is a member of the group executive committee


of Lufthansa Cargo and a member of the extended management group of Swiss International Airlines. He has previously worked for BAX Global and KLM.


Earlier this year it completed the acquisition of UK


haulage and logistics firm TDG, and as recently as November acquired Chinese freight forwarding company APC Beijing, as part of its strategy to break into the freight forwarding and Chinese markets. It reported annual revenues of €3.6 billion in 2010,


and gross revenues of €3.5 billion in the first nine months of 2011, up 25% on the year before. Dentressangle himself has said he is aiming for turnover to exceed €10 billion by 2018.


Global 100


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