The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has named Kenneth W. Duncan, an executive with the ocean carrier Maersk, as Managing Director of Commercial Operations at the Port of Long Beach, the nation’s second-busiest seaport.
Duncan will lead a bureau consisting of the Port’s Business Development, Tenant Services, and Operations, and Security Services divisions. He was selected after a competitive process to permanently replace Dr. Noel Hacegaba, who was promoted in August 2017 to Deputy Executive Director of Administration and Operations.
Most recently, Duncan was Vice President of Lifestyle and Apparel Sales for North America at A.P Moller-Maersk, managing a portfolio of accounts with annual revenue exceeding $2 billion. Previously, Duncan worked in various posts for more than thirteen years at Maersk Line, the world’s largest ocean carrier. After starting as an intermodal manager in San Pedro Bay, Duncan was selected to represent the United States in a global management training program. He went on to hold jobs in terminal operations, sales and customer service in locales ranging from Southern California to Hong Kong and Copenhagen.
“Ken has vast experience and insight into the complex global supply chain,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “He’s worked everywhere from the executive suite to global and regional sales, right down to the terminals where equipment is dispatched to move goods to stores. His skills will be valuable to us as we continue to improve our infrastructure and strengthen what is already the best customer service in the Americas.”
“The relationships Ken has with many of our national and overseas customers, in a business that is built on relationships, is an instant competitive advantage for us,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal. “He’ll be able to hit the ground running, and we’re very fortunate to have him.”
Duncan earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Loyola Marymount University, a master’s degree in global logistics from Cal State Long Beach and a master’s of business administration from the University of Southern California. He starts with the Port on April 27.
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $200 billion in trade annually, supporting hundreds of thousands of Southern California jobs.
