OREANDA-NEWS. September 28, 2009. Management of the crude oil and petroleum products transshipment company Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd - subsidiary of joint stock company Ventspils nafta - is entrusted to an experienced and knowledgeable specialist in oil terminal development area with global experience. According to a resolution adopted by the company's shareholders' meeting, Lars Pantzlaff has become the new Management Board member and General Director of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd. Appointment of a new manager will not change the accepted long-term development strategy of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd which is aimed at improvement of the terminal as the largest and the most advanced company of such type in the Baltic region. This will be achieved by analyzing new business opportunities and introducing new services while maintaining the highest environmental and quality management standards and ensuring efficient staff policy.

Capital share owners of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd recognize the great contribution the company's previous Management Board member and General Director Ronald Okker has made, in line with the best internationally approbated principles of effective and modern management. According to previous agreement with owners of the company, R.Okker has held the mentioned position for a year and a half - since February 2008. "My main task has been accomplished - supported by an outstanding  team, I have helped Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd to become a strong company with a bright, long-term future, holding stable leader positions in the Baltic States and having a remarkable potential for business growth," emphasizes R.Okker.

The new manager of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd L.Pantzlaff has been chosen in a lengthy and thorough international personnel selection process, seeking a specialist with appropriate education and profound understanding of the technological processes, business and technical resources in an up-to-date crude oil and petroleum products terminal.

"Considering the company's activity in such a competitive global market , for the position of manager of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd we chose a candidate with good knowledge and experience in the technical, administrative and business development area," points out Olga Pзtersone, the Chairperson of Supervisory Council for Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd and Chairperson of Management Board for JSC Ventspils nafta.

L.Pantzlaff obtained a mechanical engineering diploma at the Technical University of Munich (Germany), and a master's degree in mechanical engineering at the Northwestern University in Evanston (State of Illinois, USA), specializing in the design management of engineering technical constructions. L.Pantzlaff has worked in USA at the company APV Systems Inc. where he conducted multimillion projects in USA, Australia and Uzbekistan; at the German Lurgi Oel Gas Chemie GmbH holding a senior position at the construction site of the Trinidad methanol factory and managing communication with investors, auditors and local authorities; at the German Ingenieurtechnik GmbH he was Operations Director , in charge of development  of international construction and supply contracts to ensure large storage capacities in oil, gas, chemical and food industry; at the German company Uhde GmbH, managing construction works at the chemical industrial complex in Egypt; at the Nigerian Navgas Ltd. as General Director, organizing the company's business activity for implementation of liquefied petroleum gas storage project.

L.Pantzlaff admits that he sees the new position in management of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd as a great challenge aiming to strengthen further the company's position in the Baltic region, by implementing various technical improvement programs. This will deliver excellent quality of service, promoting productivity growth from a highly qualified, efficient and motivated workforce, and continuously recognizing the responsibility of Ventspils nafta terminals Ltd to business, social, individual and environmental safety.

"My international exposure to working in complex political and cultural environments, coupled with my experience in the oil and gas industry, as well as my technical background, form the basis to help the owners of the terminal to develop the business and to strengthen the company's competitiveness," emphasizes L.Pantzlaff.

SIA Ventspils nafta terminals td is a subsidiary of AS Ventspils nafta. 51% of it belongs to AS Ventspils nafta while 49% are owned by the Vitol company Euromin Holdings (Cyprus) Limited. The terminal renders transit services: reception of oil and diesel fuel via pipelines, as well as reception, storage and transshipment of diesel fuel, motor gasoline and other petroleum products delivered by railway and sea.