Earope’s largest seaport, Port of Rotterdam is heading into a new era with an interim executive board, following the departure of Allard Castelein, who is stepping down as CEO this summer after nearly a decade in his position. 

The port noted that Boudewijn Siemons will be appointed interim CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority effective July 15, 2023. Vivienne de Leeuw will stay on as CFO. Her term of office has been extended by four years.

Siemons is currently the COO of the Port Authority and therefore responsible for infrastructure and maritime affairs. He will combine both positions until a new CEO has been appointed.

Miriam Maes, chair of the Supervisory Board, said, “We are grateful that Boudewijn Siemons and Vivienne de Leeuw are both willing to serve as the Port Authority’s Executive Board for the immediate future. The process of finding a new CEO is still in progress. It will not be completed before July 15, which is when Allard Castelein’s term of office ends. In the meantime, with the appointment of an interim CEO and the extension of the CFO’s term of office, we are safeguarding management continuity.”

Mechanical engineer Boudewijn Siemons has been COO at the Port of Rotterdam Authority since October 2020. Before then, he served as President of Royal Vopak’s Americas division. He also worked in management positions at that company in Europe, the Middle East and the United States. From 1998 to 2006, Siemons had a range of management positions at Royal VolkerWessels. Siemons started his career in 1987 at the Royal Netherlands Navy, where he worked until 1998.

Economist Vivienne de Leeuw has been the CFO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority since July 1, 2019. Before then, she was CFO at RTL Nederland and CFO at KPN Consumer Residential. She began her career in 1999, holding senior positions in Corporate Finance and Investor Relations at Arthur Andersen/Deloitte and Unibail-Rodamco, among others.