DHL Supply Chain has introduced several new leadership roles, effective September 1, 2025, to strengthen its commitment to customer service and support its global expansion plans outlined in Strategy 2030.
Andries Retief has been appointed as the chief development officer (CDO), reporting directly to Hendrik Venter, the CEO of DHL Supply Chain. Retief brings over 15 years of extensive leadership experience across various regions, including Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia. He has a proven history of promoting growth, developing customer-oriented solutions, and fostering strategic alliances.
In his new capacity, Retief will lead the creation of cutting-edge supply chain solutions, enhance strategic partnerships, and champion growth initiatives focused on customer satisfaction globally. A primary goal will be to collaborate closely with DHL Supply Chain’s international customer leadership framework to ensure that customer requirements are integrated into the global strategy while being customized for local markets.
Additionally, Marco Brüggemann has stepped into the role of chief customer officer for DHL Supply Chain Europe, and Bremer Pauw has been designated as the chief customer officer for the Middle East and Africa.
Brüggemann, who has been with DHL since 2002, has served in various senior strategic and commercial capacities throughout Latin America and Europe. His recent role involved overseeing transformative customer supply chain projects in the German and Alps regions, facilitating significant growth in omni-channel operations for DHL’s partners.
Pauw, who is currently the managing director for Africa, has successfully built effective teams and delivered logistics solutions that focus on customer needs in challenging markets. Based in Dubai, he will maintain his position as Managing Director for Africa while also leading the commercial strategy and client development efforts across the Middle East and Africa. Alongside his counterparts in Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, and the UK and Ireland, Brüggemann and Pauw will work collectively with Retief to ensure that customers have access to seamless, resilient, and sustainable supply chains on a global scale.
Hendrik Venter, CEO of DHL Supply Chain, remarked, “These appointments will further enhance our global customer leadership team and our dedication to excellent customer service. Andries’s vast experience in driving growth and developing strategic partnerships will be vital in promoting a customer-centric culture throughout the organization. By linking our global customer leadership network with our integrated logistics capabilities, we offer our clients both extensive global access and localized expertise—empowering them to tackle current challenges and seize future opportunities.”