ZIM Shipping appoints Dr. Chen Lichtenstein as new CEO, effective July 1, 2026
Seroussi said Dr. Lichtenstein’s management, financial, and international business experience aligned with the company’s current needs.
ISRAEL – ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has announced the appointment of Dr. Chen Lichtenstein as its new President and CEO, effective 1 July 2026, succeeding Eli Glickman, who resigned on 15 April 2026.
The appointment remains subject to shareholder approval under Israeli Companies Law, with Lichtenstein also joining the company’s Board of Directors.
Global Leadership and Financial Expertise
Dr. Lichtenstein served as Chief Financial Officer of Syngenta Group from 2020 to 2023, overseeing strategy, integration, and productivity across Syngenta Seeds, Syngenta Crop Protection, ADAMA, and the group’s China operations.
Before joining Syngenta Group, he was President and CEO of ADAMA Ltd. from 2014 to 2020, overseeing integration with ChemChina and the listing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Prior to that, he worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs in New York and London from 1999 to 2006, focusing on acquisition and financing transactions.
Lichtenstein’s experience in supply chain management, global operations, and agricultural chemical logistics at Syngenta and ADAMA brings relevant expertise to ZIM’s refrigerated cargo business, which serves perishable horticultural markets.
Board Confidence and Strategic Fit
The appointment followed a search process led by ZIM’s Board of Directors, on behalf of the Board, by chairman Yair Seroussi, alongside directors Dr. Yoram Turbowicz and Yair Avidan.
Seroussi said Dr. Lichtenstein’s management, financial, and international business experience aligned with the company’s current needs. He also thanked outgoing CEO Eli Glickman for his contribution to the company.
Dr. Lichtenstein currently serves on the board of Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and chairs the boards of companies active in environmental sciences and biotechnology. He holds joint doctoral degrees from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and School of Law, as well as a BSc in Physics and an LLB from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Direct Statement from Leadership
Dr. Lichtenstein said: “I thank ZIM’s Board of Directors for its confidence and for the opportunity to lead a global Israeli company with a meaningful legacy, growth and business success, broad international operations, and outstanding people.”
The shareholder approval process under Israeli law will determine the final transition timeline, with Lichtenstein bringing a global business perspective and financial acumen that are vital to ZIM’s future growth.
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