Bob Biesterfeld, CEO of C.H. Robnison, resigned on Saturday, and the company’s board chair is currently acting as interim CEO.
In announcing the shift Tuesday morning, the Eden Prairie-based firm provided no explanation for the abrupt resignation. Russell Reynolds, a top national executive search firm, has been recruited by the logistics and freight behemoth to locate a permanent replacement.
With the appointment of Scott Anderson as interim CEO, Jodee Kozlak was named independent chair of the board. Anderson expressed gratitude to Biesterfeld for his “significant contributions” during his three years as CEO.
The company’s slide has been rocky as the pandemic’s supply chain disruption settles into a new normal. Following disappointing third-quarter earnings, C.H. Robinson stated in November that it would lay off 650 employees, or 3.6% of its staff.
Biesterfeld predicted reduced demand in July, citing changes in consumer habits caused by rising inflation rates. He predicted that the declining retail and housing sectors will dampen demand in the second half of the year.
One of Biesterfeld’s major efforts as CEO was to treble the speed of its technological expenditures in order to strengthen its competitive position against other third-party logistics providers. He said in 2019 that C.H. Robinson would invest $1 billion in technology over the following five years.
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