- Marcel Claessen is appointed new CEO.
- The new leadership team includes CFO Carlien Siebelt and COO Folkert Tjebbes.
- Harry and Arjan Schenk will join the supervisory board as minority shareholders.
Marcel Claessen is an experienced executive with a proven track record in transport and logistics. For the last 4 years he worked as CEO of The Medical Export Group, a company supporting governments, NGOs and aid organisations in responding to medical emergencies and improving access to healthcare. Before that, Marcel Claessen worked 12 years at Royal FloraHolland, an international flower and plant cooperative where his last position was COO. With his background as an engineer and his strong commercial and operational profile, Marcel is adept at building and expanding organisations and teams into successful and innovative companies. He is an executive with vision and extensive experience in developing companies at an international level, acquiring new businesses and building high-quality customer propositions.
To ensure continuity and a smooth transfer, an intensive 4-month transition period from the current Co-CEOs Harry and Arjan Schenk to Marcel Claessen started on 1 December 2023.
Harry and Arjan Schenk, members of the Supervisory board, said: “With Marcel Claessen, we have succeeded in completing the leadership team with an inspired and experienced CEO. We are convinced that Marcel, with his proven track record and extensive background in transport, handling and intermodal transportation of a wide range of products, is extremely well equipped to lead Schenk through the next chapter. We are confident that Marcel Claessen will inspire the teams and lead Schenk to continued leadership in the industry.”
Maarten Meijssen, Partner at Argos Wityu said: “We are very pleased that the management transition plan has resulted in the appointment of Marcel Claessen. Marcel’s experience and his in-depth understanding of Schenk’s business will stand him in good stead in pursuing the growth of this leader in an expanding sector. Together with Carlien and Folkert, we are convinced that the new top management team is the right one to deploy the company’s strategy.”
Marcel Claessen, CEO of Schenk Transport, added: “Schenk is a powerful company with a rich history. Its way of working with colleagues and customers, its professional pragmatic approach and strategic focus fit well with my view of the business. I look forward to further growing the company, together with all Schenk colleagues, in a sustainable way.”
Argos Wityu
Coralie Cornet
Head of Communications
ccc@argos.fund
+33 (0)6 14 38 33 37
About Argos Wityu
argos.wityu.fund
One firm, two strategies. Argos Wityu is an independent European private-equity group that supports the growth of mid-sized business and back their management teams.
With more than €1.7bn assets under management, over 30 years of experience and more than 90 businesses assisted, Argos Wityu operates from offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, Luxembourg, Milan, and Paris. The group seeks to acquire majority stakes and invests between €10m and €100m in each investment of its two strategies:
- The Argos Mid-Market fund helps companies implement ownership transitions to accelerate growth.
- The Argos Climate Action fund (SFDR 9) aims at shaping European sustainable leaders by making their ‘grey-to-green’ transition.
About Schenk
Schenk is one of the leading tank transport companies in North-West Europe. Schenk has over 1,850 employees, generates sales of €290mio and has locations throughout its operating area. The head office is located in Papendrecht (The Netherlands). It also has its own branches in Antwerp (BE) and Gelsenkirchen (DE).
