On 1 July, Paul Bristowe assumed the newly established Chief of Staff position at Associated British Ports (ABP), a major port operator in the United Kingdom.
Formerly Head of Marine for ABP’s Humber region, Bristowe brings senior leadership experience, including nearly a decade at BP and 25 years of service in the Royal Navy alongside his tenure at ABP.
The Chief of Staff role consolidates pivotal enabling functions, such as marine operations, safety, environment, and security. Additionally, the Chief of Staff will oversee ABP’s other marine-focused entities, namely UK Dredging and marine consultancy ABPmer.
Given the strategic importance of these specialized capabilities, the Chief of Staff will hold a seat on ABP’s Executive Board and directly report to the CEO of ABP, Henrik L. Pedersen, who stated, “ABP has ambitious, transformational plans for how we will expand our contribution to the UK under our twin missions of Keeping Britain Trading and Enabling the Energy Transition. These missions rely on safe, secure and sustainable operations which is why the Chief of Staff role is so important, bringing a senior leadership focus on key foundational capabilities.”
Paul Bristowe transitioned to ABP in 2022 after a career at BP, where he held several senior commercial positions in shipping, supply, and trading operations. Before entering the corporate sector, Paul served for 25 years in the Royal Navy, with roles spanning from helicopter pilot and warfare officer to commanding a Type 23 Frigate on global missions.
Bristowe commented, “I’m excited to taking up the Chief of Staff role. There’s a tremendous depth of experience across ABP. Leading this new portfolio is an opportunity to bring this expertise together, give it the focus and prominence it deserves as well enhance the sharing of best practice across functions.
The safety aspect of the Chief of Staff portfolio is absolutely critical, not just to the role itself but to everything that ABP does. Although ABP has made strong progress on our approach to safety, I’m absolutely committed to leading further improvement.”
