Maersk Management Consulting

With the ambition of becoming the global integrator of container logistics, a key tenet has been to make the organization ready for the future, by moving our business and technology teams closer to each other. In doing so, Maersk has taken steps to transition itself from a product to platform driven operating model, akin to that of Amazon or Google.

MMC was engaged to determine how Maersk could best set up its new operating model (‘Platform Operating Model’). It was the goal to develop industry-leading digital platforms to form the winning Maersk digital ecosystem. The new operating model will enable Maersk to innovate at speed, while delivering personalized, automated end-to-end journeys, and integrated offerings for our customers.

Covering a wide range of tasks, the MMC team developed a detailed playbook for how the future operating model between business and technology should be within Maersk and led the following implementation of developing the first platforms within Maersk. This project has been a critical pillar in Maersk’s transformation journey as Maersk has already rolled out more than 10 different digital platforms by end of 2020.

Maersk’s vision to become the integrator of global container logistics requires significant innovation and development of both existing and new capabilities. This was clear especially in the Asia-Pacific region, where the growth ambitions required a robust underlying strategy and specific capability gaps to address.

MMC’s role was therefore key in developing the ideal M&A strategy for Asia-Pacific, identifying the right set of potential targets in the region to grow and develop the desired capabilities.

The project focused on creating an innovative approach to determine potential targets, built on a mix of qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess their attractiveness. Through a tailored analysis and a deep dive on potential targets, MMC was able to narrow down the scope to selected ideal candidates, devising sustainable acquisition strategies according to several scenarios and providing the Asia-Pacific organization with actionable next steps.

The increasingly disruptive trends within the industry have shown the importance of long-term strategic planning. Indeed, focusing on the right product offerings can make or break the organization, tying up efforts and resources for years to come. In this scenario, Maersk Management Consulting was tasked to create the long-term strategic roadmap for the L&S organization.

The intrinsic complexity of the project required the team to develop a highly structured approach, ranging from an in-depth quantitative analysis to devising clear and actionable roadmaps across different offerings. During the engagement, MMC worked with several stakeholders across our L&S products, ensuring a consistent outcome.

As part of Maersk’s vision to grow significantly within the L&S space, several new product offerings have been launched to enhance the customer offerings and enable Maersk to offer integrated solutions for our customers. Some examples of these L&S products are new ones such as Air Freight, Maersk Flow but also include an enhancement of current offerings such as Customs House Brokerage (CHB) and 4PL.

Working out of our regional offices in New York, an MMC team was gathered to develop a clear and actionable plan for how to reach the ambitioned growth plan for several L&S products within North America. As part of the project, the MMC team helped our North American organization shape their winning aspiration and prioritize growth areas and capabilities, as well as creating a roadmap for how we would get there – evaluating both organic and inorganic growth initiatives.