The e-commerce slayer

摘要

Paul Ostergaard had a plan. Now CEO of ShipServ, a multibillion-dollar, marine/ offshore e-commerce business, he recalls taking himself out of his comfort zone - of a good job in shipping - to pursue a far wider ambition. "I was always interested in technology and from an early age was keen on going to Harvard," Ostergaard tells IHS Maritime. But after serving in the Royal Danish Guards, he instead joined Danish shipping company J. Lauritzen A/S as a commercial manager. "My father had always been in shipping and there was a huge attraction for me growing up." His father, who came from humble beginnings in Denmark, was hired by the then-quite-small AP Moller in Copenhagen. After a few years he was transferred to Japan. Hearing his father's stories about the industry, Ostergaard says he developed a "longing" to also work in shipping. "To travel and experience different cultures and see things from multiple angles opens your mind in a way no other education can." Learning to play the guitar, and passionate about motorcycling in addition to technology, he still pursues a wide range of experiences.