Riia Sillave to take over management of HHLA TK Estonia

The container and multipurpose terminal HHLA TK Estonia has a new Chief Executive Officer; Riia Sillave is to take over management of the subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG with effect from 15 March 2020. She succeeds Vladimir Popov, who is leaving the Group, HHLA says in a media release.

The 46-year-old Estonian, who studied business administration at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, has a wealth of experience in executive and management roles, including in the German automotive industry. Her most recent position was as CEO of Rail Baltic Estonia, the state-owned development company for the € 1.6 billion Rail Baltica railway project co-financed by the EU. This major infrastructural project, which will link the Baltic states to the Western European rail network, will start from Muuga Harbour, not far from the Estonian capital of Tallinn, where the HHLA TK Estonia terminal is located.

Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman of HHLA’s Executive Board: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to recruit Riia Sillave for our terminal in Estonia. Her expertise and her professional experience working in both Estonia and Germany make her a perfect fit for the HHLA Group.” Ms. Titzrath thanked the previous CEO Vladimir Popov for all his commitment at HHLA TK Estonia. Mr. Popov had been in charge of the terminal since 2017. Following the handling facility’s acquisition by Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG in 2018, he advanced its integration into the HHLA Group and successfully strengthened HHLA TK Estonia’s position as a RoRo hub in the Baltic region.

“HHLA’s investments in Muuga are a sign of the potential that Estonia’s geographical location offers,” Sillave explains. “The terminal is well established on the market, and its employees are very experienced. This lays a firm foundation for the continued positive development of HHLA TK Estonia as a sustainable and reliable partner for its customers and a multimodal hub at the cutting edge of digital technology.”

HHLA TK Estonia is the market leader in container handling in Estonia and one of the largest players in the Baltic region when it comes to break bulk, bulk and rolling cargo. The site serves as an important hub in the region for transit traffic with Russia and Scandinavia.