1st July marks the start date for the new Chief of Staff role at Associated British Ports, the UK’s leading ports operator. Paul Bristowe, formerly Head of Marine for ABP’s Humber region, takes up the role. He brings extensive senior leadership experience from almost a decade with BP and 25 years of service in the Royal Navy in addition to his ABP career.

The Chief of Staff role has been created to bring together critical enabling functions into one portfolio, including marine operations, safety, environment and security, that provide the essential foundations for ABP’s future growth. The Chief of Staff will also be the senior executive with responsibility for ABP’s other marine focused capabilities, UK Dredging and marine consultancy ABPmer.

Recognising the critical nature of these highly skilled, specialist capabilities the Chief of Staff will sit on ABP’s Executive Board and report directly to ABP’s CEO.

Henrik L. Pedersen, CEO at Associated British Ports, said: “ABP has ambitious, transformational plans for how we will expand our contribution to the UK under our twin missions of Keeping Britain Trading and Enabling the Energy Transition. These missions rely on safe, secure and sustainable operations which is why the Chief of Staff role is so important, bringing a senior leadership focus on key foundational capabilities. I am delighted to welcome Paul Bristowe to the role.”

Paul joined ABP in 2022 from BP, where he held a number of senior commercial roles in shipping, supply and trading operations. Before joining the business world Paul had a 25-year career in the Royal Navy operating globally as a helicopter pilot, warfare officer and latterly in command of a Type 23 Frigate. Paul has an MBA from Cranfield University.

Paul said: “I’m excited to taking up the Chief of Staff role. There’s a tremendous depth of experience across ABP. Leading this new portfolio is an opportunity to bring this expertise together, give it the focus and prominence it deserves as well enhance the sharing of best practice across functions.

The safety aspect of the Chief of Staff portfolio is absolutely critical, not just to the role itself but to everything that ABP does. Although ABP has made strong progress on our approach to safety, I’m absolutely committed to leading further improvement.”