IWS Holdings hires shipping professional Kingsley to head APL Lanka

Kingsley Abeywickrama has joined IWS Holdings’ newly-owned APL Lanka Ltd. as the Managing Director from 1 January 2016.

Kingsley has over 20 years of local and overseas experience working with leading global and local entities such as Hayleys, CMA-CGM, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), McLarens and MSC in shipping and also with Freight-Links,  DCL(USA), NACA logistics(USA) in freight forwarding and logistics.

Prior to joining APL Lanka he played the role of Commercial General Manager at MSC Lanka Ltd. from 2009 to 2015, helping MSC secure huge market share growth, enabling it to move from rank 9 to rank 2 in terms of local cargo volumes.

Kingsley received his postgraduate education from the University of Wales and is a Fellow of the UK’s Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (FICS). He is also the present Education Officer of ICS (UK) SL branch. Being an UNESCAP certified trainer and double award winner by ICS, he contributes back to industry and society as a visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo, University of Moratuwa, Ocean University, ICS, CINEC, Aquinas, Shipper’s Academy and the SLFFA academy to name a few.

Apart from mainstream activities, he also contributed to other sectors such as ship bunkering, capacity building and dairy product logistics by carrying out successful consultancy assignments for CSC Kandia, SLFFA academy and as a board director of Milco Ltd.

Kingsley, who is frequently invited to speak at many local and international conferences and seminars, believes in achieving organisational goals based on strong long-term candid relationships with all stakeholders. He is determined to take the legendary APL brand to higher echelons in Sri Lanka.