Columbia Group has moved to steady the ship by confirming Andreas Hadjipetrou as its permanent chief executive, weeks after the sudden departure of long-time leader Mark O’Neil.

Hadjipetrou, a near 30-year veteran of the organisation who most recently served as chief commercial officer, had been acting in the interim role following O’Neil’s exit earlier this month. His formal appointment signals a clear preference for continuity at one of the world’s leading shipmanagers.

Joining him in the reshaped leadership is Demetris Chrysostomou as deputy CEO, a move the company says will strengthen its senior bench and support expansion, particularly across Asia.

The transition follows an abrupt change at the top. O’Neil, a prominent industry figure who led the company for nine years, left with immediate effect a couple of weeks ago, with owner Heinrich Schoeller at the time stressing the need to “uphold operational continuity”.

Earlier this month, O’Neil joined the growing throng of maritime podcasts, co-launching Hard to Port, a series with interviews and discussions on the issues facing global shipping today.