Bremen, Germany | Bogotá, Colombia - July 2024: Leschaco Group is proud to announce the appointment of Mrs. Mayerline Santamaria Neira as the new Managing Director for Leschaco Colombia and its subsidiaries, effective August 01, 2024.
Following the successful rebranding of the first four Colombian companies a few weeks ago, this strategic leadership appointment underscores Leschaco’s commitment to driving growth and innovation within the region.
Ensuring a smooth transition and continued excellence in operations, Mayerline will be guided into her new role by Jochen Raute, who co-founded Coltrans S.A.S. (today Leschaco Colombia S.A.S) in 1988 and still manages the company and its dedicated and talented employees today. He is planning his well-deserved retirement by the end of this year.
Mayerline Santamaria Neira brings over 20 years of extensive experience in the logistics industry, with a strong focus on sales, strategic planning, financial management, and organizational development. Her in-depth knowledge of the chemicals vertical market and her close collaboration with key pharmaceutical customers in her previous roles make her an important addition to the Leschaco team.
Mayerline’s career began in 2004 at Maersk Line in Bogotá, Colombia, where she held various senior management positions. She later served as Country Operations Manager at Crane Worldwide in Bogotá. From 2011 to 2015, she was the Maritime Product Manager at DHL Global Forwarding Colombia, leading the marketing strategy for maritime products both nationally and internationally. Most recently, she was the Commercial Manager at Puerto Industrial Aguadulce, a leading container terminal at the Port of Buenaventura, where she directed the development and execution of the company’s commercial and customer service strategy, aligning it with strategic objectives.
“Mayerline's extensive network and expertise in the Colombian logistics market, along with her proven people management skills and deep experience in business transformation, position her well to drive our growth ambitions and lead our Colombian branches towards a prosperous future. We are happy to welcome her to our team," said Martin Sack (Regional Head Americas). "Her strong experience and strategic vision will be key to advancing our objectives and reinforcing our position in the Colombian market."
The Coltrans Group was acquired by Leschaco (Lexzau, Scharbau GmbH & Co. KG) on December 28, 2022. Coltrans S.A.S. has been a cornerstone of the Colombian logistics market. Over decades, it has established itself as a leading player, offering a comprehensive range of global logistics services, including import and export services, customs clearance, warehousing, and intermodal transportation. With a longstanding partnership with the Leschaco Group spanning over 30 years, Coltrans has been an integral part of Leschaco's agent network, significantly contributing to its operations in Colombia, one of the largest emerging markets in Latin America.
Company information: The Leschaco Group is a traditional, owner-managed logistics service provider and offers intercontinental logistics solutions for sea and air freight as well as contract logistics and tank container operation. As proven partner for leading companies in plant construction and mechanical engineering, automotive, chemical and related industries, producers of consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. Leschaco offers comprehensive logistics solutions from one single source. Our globally standardized IT–environment guarantees the required high process transparency. The company was founded under the name of Lexzau, Scharbau by Wilhelm Lexzau and Julius Scharbau in Hamburg in 1879. Today, the group is represented in 24 countries worldwide. This network is supported by a carefully selected network of agents. The company insists on a sustainable business development and its headquarters are in Bremen.
