by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:45 AM ET, Tue April 16, 2024
The Carnival
Corporation announced a major leadership change that will see Chief
Maritime Officer Vice Admiral William R. Burke (Ret.) step down from the role
and be replaced by Lars Ljoen, the current Chief Operations Officer for the Carnival
Cruise Line brand.
Burke is scheduled to step down effective February 1, 2025.
Once Ljoen is promoted to Chief Maritime Officer of Carnival
Corporation & plc, he will oversee all aspects of maritime operations
for the company and report to Chief Executive Officer Josh Weinstein.
Ljoen will also be responsible for strategic destination
development and oversee the management of the company’s owned and operated
ports. A 25-year cruise industry veteran, Ljoen is a trusted leader with a
distinguished tenure of achievement in senior-level sea command and shore
management roles.
“Lars is the obvious choice for this vital role, given his
deep knowledge of our industry, his pedigree of success in key senior-level
positions in the company, and his ability to consistently deliver operational
excellence and business results for our largest global cruise line,” Weinstein
said.
“Notably, his leadership during one of the most challenging
times in our industry helped Carnival Cruise Line successfully navigate the
operational pause and quickly reclaim its title as the world's largest and most
popular cruise line – an important driver of our company comeback,” Weinstein
continued.
When Ljoen takes over as Chief Maritime Officer on February
1, 2025, his predecessor, Burke, will transition into a new role as External
Affairs Advisor for Carnival
Corporation, leveraging his extensive expertise for key legislative,
regulatory and policy matters at the global and federal levels.
“I'm honored to step into the Chief Maritime Officer role
and eager to build on Bill's remarkable foundation of operational excellence
and write the next important chapter,” Ljoen said. “I look forward to applying
my experience and skills to an even bigger platform to ensure the company's
continued success.”
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