From France to Singapore: 

Morten Ahlbeck takes on a new leadership position at Svanehoj

Morten Ahlbeck returns to his maritime roots as the new Managing Director of Svanehoj Singapore. Here, he will focus on driving commercial growth for Svanehoj’s engine room and offshore pump business and support the continued development of its Asian operations. 

When Morten Ahlbeck joined Svanehoj as Project Manager in February 2020, he brought first-hand maritime experience as a trained marine engineer who had previously worked aboard vessels.

After spending the last three years in Calais, France as Business Development Manager, and later Managing Director, of Svanehoj’s Tank Control Systems division the move to Singapore has now brought him back to the maritime industry where his career began.

“My background is maritime, and that is where I have invested much of my working life. The years in France have been extremely rewarding, but I am genuinely excited to return to marine pumps, work with products I know from my time as a Project Manager and reconnect with colleagues I have worked with before”, Morten says.

Exciting tasks ahead

Svanehoj Singapore is an operational site with approximately 130 employees across production, service, and other group functions. Mortens commercial priority will be to create stronger momentum for Svanehoj’s engine room pump solutions and expand the business within offshore applications. 

“A great deal of development work has been completed in recent years, and the Singapore team has brought both the products and the organization to a much stronger position. My job is to build on that foundation and translate it into further commercial progress,” he says.
 
Morten will also focus on supporting the collaboration between the production sites in Denmark and Singapore.

“One challenge is commercial: creating stronger momentum for the inline pump portfolio. The other is operational: making production more flexible and ensuring that the logistics work across the organization. Both are significant tasks, and that is exactly what makes the role exciting.”

Closer to market and customers

With his appointment as Managing Director of Svanehoj Singapore, Morten has concluded his tenure at Svanehoj France, where he delivered clear results by sharpening commercial priorities, strengthening customer relationships, and developing the local organization.

A central part of this work was the introduction of a more structured sales approach, with greater emphasis on being present in the market and close to customers.

“Sales is something you must cultivate. It does not happen behind the desk. You need to meet customers, understand their business, and demonstrate your commitment to the relationship. Customers should not only trust the product; they should also trust the organization and the people they will work with throughout the project,” Morten explains.

This focused approach has led to greater selectivity in pursuing opportunities. By concentrating resources on projects that aligned with Svanehoj’s strengths, the French team has established strong positions in previously underserved markets, including parts of Africa. 

Local responsibility is the measure of success

On 1 July, Khelaf Bensafia succeeded Morten as Managing Director of Svanehoj France. Previously, Khelaf he has played a central role in developing the business as the former Head of Project Department, and he has gradually assumed greater responsibility within the local management team.

“When I went to France, I had a clear ambition: I wanted to be the last Dane to lead the department in Calais. If we acquire and develop businesses but continue to manage them closely from Denmark, we risk limiting both the organization and the people within it. The goal must be to establish a strong local company with local leaders who have the authority to move it forward,” says Morten.

Although the products and markets now change, Morten will bring the same leadership principles to his new role in Singapore: clear priorities, close customer relationships, and responsibility placed with capable people.
 
“You need a strong team, a shared direction, and the willingness to be present where the business happens. I look forward to building on the work already done in Singapore and helping the organization take its next step."