DHL Global Forwarding has appointed Sascha Geiken as chief executive for Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, as the German logistics group seeks to expand its freight operations and strengthen supply chain services across the continent.
The appointment was announced in a company statement dated November 10, 2026, distributed by APO Group. Geiken succeeds Egidio Monteiro and will report to Tobias Maier, chief executive of DHL Global Forwarding for the Middle East and Africa.
Geiken, who previously served as vice-president of ocean freight for the Middle East and Africa, brings more than three decades of experience in international freight forwarding. He began his career in 1995 and has held senior management positions across several Middle Eastern markets.
His appointment comes as DHL Group pursues a broader expansion strategy in Africa, where growing international trade, infrastructure investment and demand for integrated logistics services are creating opportunities for freight operators.
In 2025, DHL announced plans to invest more than €300mn in Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting infrastructure and service improvements across its DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain divisions.
The investment reflects the group’s ambition to strengthen its position in a region where cross-border transport remains constrained by infrastructure gaps, customs procedures and fragmented distribution networks.
Geiken’s previous responsibilities included managing ocean freight operations, trade-lane development, shipping capacity, freight rates and sustainable transport solutions across the Middle East and Africa.
He has also worked on trade flows linking African markets with Europe, Asia and the Middle East, routes that are increasingly important to the continent’s integration into global supply chains.
“Sub-Saharan Africa is an important growth market for us, but it is also a market where strong local execution really matters,” Maier said.
He added that Geiken’s experience in complex markets would help the company translate expanding trade volumes into more reliable logistics services.
The leadership change comes as international logistics providers seek to improve the efficiency of African supply chains, particularly in customs clearance, inland transportation and last-mile distribution.
For businesses operating across multiple African markets, the reliability of freight services remains a critical factor in managing costs, maintaining inventory and accessing international customers.
Geiken said the company’s regional strategy would focus on delivering dependable logistics solutions rather than simply expanding freight capacity.
“Trade is growing, but our customers need more than capacity. They need reliability across the entire supply chain, from the international leg through customs and inland transport to final delivery,” he said.
He added that he intended to build on DHL’s existing regional operations while working with local teams to address the practical challenges of moving goods across African markets.
The appointment places Geiken at the centre of DHL’s efforts to translate its planned infrastructure investments into stronger operational performance, as competition intensifies among logistics providers seeking to serve Africa’s expanding trade corridors.
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