NEW APPOINTMENTS AT ARPIN INTERNATIONAL Arpin International Group has made two key appointments to its team. Sebastian Sommer has been hired as Managing Director for Arpin Germany. His Sebastian Sommer responsibilities will include the management of all activities for Arpin Germanys area in EMEA. Sommer has more than 19 years of experience in the moving industry and earned a Bachelors Mario Lemme degree in transport management and operations from Worldtrade Academy, in Frankfurt, Germany. Before joining Arpin, he served in a number of roles with Crown Worldwide, most recently as a country manager. In this role, he was responsible for the management of the German entity, which included project and change management, as well as maintaining internal and external certifications and audits. The Arpin Group is also pleased to announce the promotion of Mario Lemme from director of programming services to Senior Vice President of Information Technology. In his new role, Lemme will be responsible for establishing, directing and administering the long-term strategic planning, implementation and operation of the companys IT requirements and functions. He will also be responsible for ensuring business continuity and developing, implementing and maintaining the companys IT and data-security policies and procedures. Lemme joined Arpin Group in September 2013 as the director of programming services and has been instrumental in the development of the companys all-encompassing operating platform, ArpinNet. In addition, he is a member of the companys management committee and is on the board of directors for the companys charitable foundation, Arpin Strong. Hilldrup promotes key staff Onie Girton John Seal Hilldrup International has promoted Onie Girton to Senior Vice President of Sales and Client Services. Girton joined Hilldrup as an intern 22 years ago and, in her new position, she will be responsible for leading and growing Hilldrups corporate sales division, as well as overseeing client services, relocation and marketing for all 10 branches. John Seal has also been promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) for Hilldrups corporate headquarters. He will be responsible for oversight and strategic leadership of the companys locations in the DMV area, which includes Dulles and Stafford, Virginia, and Forestville, Maryland. His leadership will extend to local dispatch, warehousing and service teams across these branches. PE O PLE M OVE S ARJA LAITINEN JOINS VICTOR EK Arja Laitinen has joined Victor EK Moving Limited as part of the companys international Arja Laitinen move management team. Laitinen has been in the moving industry since the early 1980s, and has worked at several well-known companies in Finland, including Beweship, John Nurminen and Schenker International. Since 2004 she has been responsible for managing international moves at Helsingin KTK, taking care of key accounts, pricing, quoting and coordination. Laitinen, who took up her new role in April, will further strengthen the international team and ensure a high-quality service to Victor EKs clients and agents. ORIGINAL GRADUATE TRAINEE MARKS 30 YEARS AT GERSON Gerson Relocation Ltd prides itself on truly understanding the value of experience and continuity in offering an impeccable service to its clients. So it was all the more gratifying for the company to be able to congratulate Alastair Cowan on achieving 30 years service. Cowan joined Gerson Relocation as part of its original graduate programme and, since then, has continually developed his career with the business. His expertise and ability to manage Chris Mackley, Gerson Relocations General complex moves has been invaluable to Manager at Potters Bar, gives Alastair Cowan a gift the company in nurturing and training for long service new talent. James Sawyer has been appointed Managing Director for AGS Group London. He took on the role in December, after being general manager for Harrow Green International for about eight years. Im delighted and looking WW W. F I D I. O R G FF291JunJul19 pp90-91 People Moves.indd 91 forward to the challenge of trying to bring much-needed success to AGS here in the UK and improving the business from top to bottom, said Sawyer In the short term, he wants AGS to get back to basics and aims to ensure it is driving quality through the business. His long-term goal is to make sure the company continues to give its customers a great move experience and grows into a major player in the UK market. THE MOVER MAGAZINE NEW MD FOR AGS GROUP LONDON James Sawyer 91 10/05/2019 16:57