DHL appoints Martyn Lawns and Greg Nichols to the Global Board

DHL Global Forwarding, Freight has made two senior appointments to its Global Management Board, underscoring its Strategy 2030 focus on sustainable growth. The new roles highlight the rising strategic importance of Industrial Projects and Customs, both key product areas in driving customer-focused, high-impact logistics solutions, according to an official release from DHL.

Martyn Lawns has been named CEO of DHL Global Industrial Projects, the specialised forwarding division that provides customised solutions for large-scale projects in energy, mining, engineering, and infrastructure. The unit places a strong focus on safety, compliance, and sustainability.

With over two decades of experience in global logistics and procurement, Martyn is tasked with expanding DHL's capabilities in sectors driving the energy transition and infrastructure development. He has played a pivotal role in expanding DHL's footprint in complex project logistics, leading global sector teams focused on mining, oil and gas, and renewable energy across more than 45 countries. He will also continue to lead DHL's groupwide New Energy growth initiative, which is focused on positioning the company at the forefront of emerging sectors such as electric vehicles, battery supply chains, and renewable energy logistics, the release added.

“Martyn's leadership will be instrumental in scaling our Industrial Projects business to meet rising global demand,” says Oscar de Bok, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. “His appointment supports our ambition to lead in high-value, complex logistics.”

Greg Nichols, Senior Vice President, Global Customs, will lead the integrated Customs Product across DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. With nearly three decades of experience in logistics and trade consultancy across the U.S., Asia Pacific, and Europe, Greg has driven rapid growth and innovation since joining DHL in 2019, including the launch of DHL TradeConnect, a digital platform that simplifies and streamlines customs brokerage for customers, and the implementation of a globally standardised customs operating framework designed to improve service consistency, performance visibility, and regulatory compliance across markets.

“Customs is no longer just a compliance function; it's a strategic enabler of global trade,” says de Bok. “In today's volatile, fast-changing trade landscape, Greg's appointment reflects our commitment to helping customers navigate complexity and unlock growth.”

The appointments are intended to enhance DHL’s capacity to provide scalable and sustainable solutions that address customers’ changing supply chain requirements, a key pillar of its Strategy 2030.