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Director at the Mediterranean Shipping Company In addition, he said, “Being able to conclude a
(MSC) commercial agreement is a highlight on every
occasion; each circumstance is different and has
LENN DELVE, a Director at the Mediterra- different requirements. Over the years, we have
nean Shipping Company (MSC) said, “My had to negotiate complex multinational contracts.
34 years with MSC have gone quickly, it Each takes a lot of time and it is very rewarding to
Ghas been an eventful journey and a great see the conclusion.”
profession to be in.” Delve added, “The majority of the many companies
At school his aptitude tests predicted him becoming who were approached as potential clients over thirty
a chartered accountant or a chemical engineer, but years ago are still shipping with us today. Building
he wanted something different. His professional long mature relationships with our clients has been
journey began in 1978, when he accepted a post heart-warming. This has been achieved through
as a management trainee in a shipping company. trust, empathy and transparency.”
His natural aptitude for learning saw him complete Joining an Italian family owned business has had
several training courses in the field of shipping, many advantages. Delve says that he has enjoyed his
which he said, “gave his career a good grounding”. long working relationship with the Chief Executive
MSC owns ships and is the second biggest shipping Officer Captain Salvatore Sarno and MSC founder
company in the world. The company has 510 vessels Chairman Gianluigi Aponte. He said, “The company
around the world, including several renowned cruise has always treated its employees not only as assets
liners. Delve says that since he started working at but as family members. This philosophy is apparent
MSC, the company has grown from 15 people and in that the average length of employment within the
20 ships to where they are now. company is over 20 years. In addition, during times
of economic downturn, no employees have been
Being part of the MSC journey has provided retrenched, which is a very different response to
him with many opportunities to continue to learn most of our opposition shipping companies.”
as, “No day is ever the same”. Since the company
has grown, new divisions have been added, which For young people embarking on a shipping
have included: ships agency, container depots, career, Delve has this advice, “Work hard and the
ship tracking and repair. “Each division has had rewards will be there”. However, he said, “It is not
learning phases and challenges, which has made an industry for the faint hearted.” He added that
the business exciting,” he said. “We have a huge it is also important to work your way up from the
bottom so that you have a good understanding of the
team of 1300 people around the country that assist different aspects of the shipping industry. His advice
our MD, our chairman and myself to achieve the to anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps is “Not
company’s goals.”
to lose focus and don’t lose sight of other people”.
As national commercial director, Delve’s primary
Delve says life today is challenging as there is a
responsibility is to fill the cargo ships, with both lot to keep on top of and it’s more difficult now
import and export goods from and to South Africa. to find time for the things you used to do in the
“I get involved in everything; operations, logistics, past. However, out of office hours, he participates
and solutions. It’s a very exciting and challenging in varied activities, and “if it involves water even
position.” better”. He enjoys going to gym and playing squash
His journey with the company has ensured that as well. He also still finds time to be outdoors and
his career has had many highlights, not the least especially to be in the bush. His parting words are to
was his appointment as a director of MSC in 2006. “Just love life, work hard and play hard!”

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