McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Kenneth Duncan as the Managing Director of Commercial Operations at Port of Long Beach (POLB). In this role, Ken will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic initiatives to maintain POLB’s leadership role in an increasingly competitive market. He will also establish and enhance internal and external relationships, develop a strategic commercial plan, collaborate with industry stakeholders to deliver operational excellence and world-class customer service, and work with POLB’s Security Director to identify, pursue, and secure additional grant funding for security projects.
Ken came to POLB with an impressive background working for Maersk, where he started in operations and later moved into sales. He was hand-picked to lead the commercial team for the Western Region of the US, Maersk’s largest region. Later, he was asked to become Head of Sales for South China based in Hong Kong. From there, he was promoted to Global Vertical Head for Retail Sales based in Copenhagen. Ken’s global experience and leadership skills make him an outstanding fit to handle relationships at all levels of government, including local and national agencies. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola Marymount University; a Master of Arts in global logistics from California State University, Long Beach; and an MBA from University of Southern California.
POLB is one of the world’s busiest seaports and is a leading gateway for international trade. Founded in 1911, it has grown to more than 3,200 acres and moves more than $180 billion in trade each year.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull Managing Director Jake Vander Zanden, Co-Founder and Managing Partner Chris Bull, and Executive Recruiter Quyen Doan.