Effective 1 January 2025, Berte Simons will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
This new position places her on the Executive Board, where she will succeed Boudewijn Siemons, who became CEO and interim COO in February 2024.
“The Supervisory Board is pleased that Berte Simons wants to bring her extensive expertise as a marine engineer to the Port 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,” mentioned Chair of the Supervisory Board, Koos Timmermans.
As of 1 January 2025, the Executive Board will comprise CEO Boudewijn Siemons, CFO Vivienne de Leeuw, and COO Berte Simons.
Simons’ four-year appointment was made by the Port Authority’s shareholders—the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Dutch national government—based on a recommendation from the Supervisory Board.
Simons began her career after training as a maritime officer, starting in 2003 as a policy officer at North Sea Port until 2006. She then spent 15 years with the international consulting and engineering firm Royal HaskoningDHV, managing global projects in the mining, heavy industry, aviation, and maritime sectors.
Currently, Simons is the director of CO2 Storage & Transport Systems at Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN), where she has played an active role in the Porthos project—a collaboration between the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Gasunie, and EBN.
“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,” stated Berte Simons.
