Eight ways for an outsider to successfully get on board

Finally, MSC’s success is built upon its strong culture. Many of the firm’s employees have worked here for a lifetime. In some ways, people consider the company an extended part of their family. This is down to the strong sense of loyalty shown by the Aponte family which in turn is reciprocated by the staff. At the same time, MSC has growth infused in its DNA. There’s also a flat hierarchy. You don’t have to go through multiple layers to speak to me. It’s a large company but we are still trying to operate as a very lean and agile enterprise. This is something I’ve kept as I see it as a key ingredient of the culture and something to treasure.

So, what would be my advice to outsider CEOs joining family companies?

You need as much EQ as IQ: I never came to MSC with the mission that I would change the culture. That would have been misguided. My aim is to understand the culture and develop it appropriately for the future rather than turning it upside down. To do this, you need a good portion of emotional intelligence (EQ). It would be very difficult to make the move successfully, as I did, without as much EQ as IQ.

Leave your ego at the door: When joining a family firm, you don’t come in with an ego that outshines the owner. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend that in any context. A person with a very high ego would not be comfortable in this role. You need to read the room first. You have to learn to influence people in a different way over a much longer period of time. This starts with listening and figuring out how you can help others to grow and flourish.

Gain the full confidence of the owner: I have spent a lot of time building trust so that the owner is comfortable with me. It’s a little bit like a marathon. I am not here for a 100-meter sprint, I am here to do a good job over a long time. Before I joined as CEO, MSC had had the same owner and leader for 50 years. It’s not a negative thing to have the owner by your side. It can take some of the pressure away, and if you need sound advice, you have it immediately. Even for people who are working for a less active owner, it’s fundamentally important to build a relationship that is second to none.

The chemistry has to be right: From when I was first approached by the Aponte family to agreeing to take the role it took a long time. I am glad that both sides took the time to do plenty of due diligence. I knew Diego Aponte fairly well; we were competitors but also business partners. We worked together on a shipping alliance with Maersk that still runs today. I have an excellent relationship with Diego, and this is one of the key reasons I am still here. I felt I could work for someone who I respect for his personality and human qualities, as well as for being the owner and a clever businessman. Despite one of us hailing from the north of Denmark, while the other comes from southern Italy, we get along really well. The chemistry has to be right. You want to work with people who you enjoy being around.

Respect and support the employees: In the shipping world, there is perhaps a notorious rivalry between MSC and Maersk. But there is also mutual respect and recognition. Joining MSC, I prioritized getting to know the MSC team and the key players. I chose not to bring in a lot of new leaders out of respect for the culture and the people that had already brought MSC so far. Instead, I wanted to develop and encourage existing employees of MSC. Of course, like any company, we are continuously evolving, and we hire some specialist competencies – but we continue to cherish and develop the people who have been here for a long time. For me, it was important that I build trust with the thousands of individuals who make up MSC. After all, you can have a great strategy, but if you have a poor culture and lack followership, you have nothing.