Closelink is thrilled to welcome Maximilian Holland as Managing Director, joining Philippe Lavarde in leading the company through its next phase of growth.
As Closelink continues to grow, Maximilian will focus on strengthening the company's commercial capabilities, improving operational excellence, and building the foundations needed to scale sustainably.
Meet Maximilian Holland: Driving the next phase of Closelink's growth
Maximilian brings a background spanning finance, corporate governance, and business transformation. Before joining Closelink, he held finance roles at publicly listed companies before moving to a high-growth financial services start-up, where he supported the business through three ownership changes, gaining extensive experience in M&A, financial due diligence, and post-merger integration.
More recently, he has worked closely with shipping companies, combining financial expertise with a deep understanding of the industry's commercial and operational challenges.
Reflecting on his new role, Maximilian says:
"What attracted me to the Managing Director role was the opportunity to help shape the next phase of Closelink's growth. The company has built a strong foundation, an excellent reputation, and a talented team. Now is the right time to build on that success by scaling the business in a structured and sustainable way while preserving the entrepreneurial culture that has made Closelink successful."
Building a stronger foundation for growth
Maximilian's appointment reflects Closelink's ambition to continue growing while strengthening the organisation for the future.
His focus will be on combining commercial ambition with operational excellence - building the structures, transparency, and data-driven decision-making needed to support long-term growth, while maintaining the agility and customer focus that define Closelink.
Having worked closely with shipping companies, Maximilian believes strong customer relationships will remain central to the company's success.
"Shipping is fundamentally a relationship-driven business. Trust, reliability, and responsiveness are just as important as technical expertise. Successful partnerships are built over time by consistently delivering on commitments and understanding customers' operational needs."
Leading Closelink's next chapter
Maximilian will lead Closelink alongside Philippe Lavarde, combining entrepreneurial leadership with expertise in finance, governance, and business transformation.
Together, they will focus on expanding Closelink's role as a trusted partner to the shipping industry, strengthening long-term partnerships , broadening the company's offering, and continuing to build a scalable business for the future.
Looking ahead, Maximilian has a clear ambition:
"In three years, I want Closelink to be recognised as one of the leading and most trusted partners in our segment of the maritime industry, with a broader customer base, stronger recurring relationships, and a larger international footprint."
Maximilian joins Closelink at an exciting stage in its journey, as the company continues to help shipping companies simplify procurement while building for long-term, sustainable growth.
