Ricardo Ackermann

Ricardo Ackermann, Head of Procurement at BW LPG, never planned a career in procurement. His original ambition was to go into journalism, but when he failed to secure a place on one of the Netherlands' two competitive university courses, fate intervened.

A local aircraft manufacturer, Fokker Aircraft, had just won a major contract with American Airlines. It was hiring rapidly and Ricardo joined in the late 1980s, landing in procurement by chance.

"I had no clue what it was," he recalls. "These are the days where you had the big IBM computers on your desk and these were the first computers in offices. But I was hooked straight away and I thought, ‘okay, I love this’.”

Ricardo completed his training at Fokker and pursued a bachelor's degree in supply chain management through NEVI, the Dutch equivalent of CIPS. From there, his passion for the field only deepened.

Industry shifts

After a decade in aircraft manufacturing, Ricardo moved to shipping in Rotterdam – and the transition was stark. 

Aircraft procurement demanded perfection with zero margin for error. He found that shipping, by contrast, relied heavily on ad hoc decisions and day-to-day operations.

"I felt that I could basically use my knowledge and experience already at a young age in shipping," Ricardo explains.

More than a decade in the offshore and dredging industry followed, but Ricardo had long harboured ambitions to work abroad, with Singapore as his preferred destination. When a headhunter approached him about BW LPG six years ago, instinct took over.

"The minute I arrived, I felt at home," reflects Ricardo. “When things feel right, you have to trust your gut feeling. It felt right straight away."

BW LPG's bold and innovative plans sealed the decision. The company, which operates more than 50 vessels transporting LPG globally, aligned perfectly with Ricardo's appetite for change.

"I'm a change manager next to being a procurement manager," he explains. "I love to change things and improve things. We're always striving for a better solution and you get the room and the space to do that here.”

BW LPG’s manageable size – around 120 office-based employees globally – enables rapid implementation of new ideas. With minimal micromanagement or politics, failed initiatives can be quickly abandoned.

Conservative industry, progressive mindset

Shipping remains deeply conservative, often led by former seafarers who favour tried-and-tested solutions over structural change.

"They're very solution-oriented, which is great because you need these people," continues Ricardo. “But, since I am a process-minded person and would like to come up with structural changes, convincing these people takes time."

Ricardo's directness – a trait he attributes to his Dutch heritage – has become his professional hallmark. When rejecting suppliers in tenders, he provides frank feedback without sugarcoating.

"I'm open, honest and transparent – I don't beat around the bush," he says. "Three years down the line with the next tender, they're not going to make the same mistakes. I tell them, ‘this was good, this is what I didn't like’.”

Ultimately, Ricardo’s leadership style balances target-driven management with team development, creating an environment where collective performance thrives.

Read the full article here.