Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller

Mr Mc-Kinney Møller who was chairman of A.P.Moller-Maersk from 1965 until 2003 has passed away, aged 98. At the time of his death he still held official positions with the group as Chairman of the Board of the A.P. Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation, the A.P. Møller Relief Foundation, and the Maersk Employee Foundation.

We know that Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller took a direct interest in the Maersk Group's purchase of P&O Nedlloyd and we know that he visited Beagle House in London on at least one occasion during the period of the takeover, 2005/06.

Links to the full press release and tribute information published on-line by the Maersk Group (links at the foot of this page), but we quote here in full one extract which is the statement from Michael Pram Rasmussen, chairman of the board of A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S:

"A long and active life has come to an end, and Denmark has lost one of the few truly international businessmen that this country has produced. For more than 70 years, shipowner Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller has worked for the company and the country with the purpose of creating additional value and was a leading figure in the working of the company as well as in society.

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller became joint owner of the company ”Firmaet A.P. Møller” in 1940. Since his father’s death in 1965 he was director and chairman of the most important companies in the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller undertook the daily management until 1993 and served as chairman of A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S until 2003.

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller’s role encompassed a wide scope, and as a responsible leader and citizen he was interested in things great and small in society. Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller commented on national as well as international political issues when the interests of the company were at stake.

Until the end, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller remained strongly committed on a personal level in the company’s business. Every week you would meet him on his way up the stairs to the sixth floor at the Esplanaden headquarters in Copenhagen, where he followed developments closely. Should issues in the business require an opinion or comment, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller always made his position clear in no uncertain terms accompanied with wit and always based on thorough knowledge of the company and the history.

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller often had a twinkle in his eye, and both I and many employees have experienced a humorous remark when meeting Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller in the corridors of Esplanaden.

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller’s strong presence in the company made a significant difference to us all, both professionally and personally. His presence was a strength to the board, to the business and the employees and will be strongly missed.

Michael Pram Rasmussen"