Port of Rotterdam appoints Berte Simons as COO

Berte Simons has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Port of Rotterdam Authority by the shareholders w.e.f January 1, 2025.

"This means she joins the Executive Board and succeeds Boudewijn Siemons, who was appointed CEO and interim COO in February 2024. Effective January 1, 2025, the Port Authority’s Executive Board will consist of CEO Boudewijn Siemons, CFO Vivienne de Leeuw and COO Berte Simons," says an official release.

The Port Authority shareholders, the municipality of Rotterdam and the Dutch national government appointed Simons for four years on the recommendation of the Supervisory Board, the release added.

"The Supervisory Board is pleased that Berte Simons wants to bring her extensive expertise as a marine engineer to the Port Authority," says Koos Timmermans, Chair, Supervisory Board, Port of Rotterdam Authority. "She brings with her international experience in leading large-scale and complex infrastructure projects in ports and industrial areas, the knowledge and experience we need for a successful and coordinated transition to a fossil-free and circular port.”

Simons began her career in 2003 as a policy officer at North Sea Port, where she worked until 2006. From 2006 to 2021, Berte held various management positions at international consulting and engineering firm Royal HaskoningDHV. Simons currently works at Energie Beheer Nederland as director of the CO2 Storage & Transport Systems business unit, the release added.

Simons says: "In the role of COO of the Port Authority, everything comes together for me. The port is a place that is constantly changing and connected to the whole world. A place where the activities of industry, logistics and the living environment come together. I look forward to working with colleagues and stakeholders to contribute to the sustainable development of the port in harmony with the environment.”