Regional shipping line Safmarine has appointed Jan van Dooren as its chief process officer.

He has managed a number of high-level projects during his 25-year career with Safmarine and is one of the company's most experienced senior managers.

During the early to mid-'90s he managed the carrier's agency networks in Europe, South Africa and the US before being appointed, in 1999, to oversee the integration of Safmarine's non-trade activities (processes, information systems and infrastructure) into the AP Moller-Maersk Group.

He also spearheaded the development of Safmarine's e-business activities, including the launch of www.safmarine.com as a business-to-business website.

In his new position, Van Dooren will manage quality improvement; information systems and the IBM outsourcing contract for Safmarine.

Safmarine CEO Tomas Dyrbye said Van Dooren's "vast experience in Safmarine will play a key role in ensuring we deliver a process-lean, technological platform which supports our customer-focused organisation".

Paul Adams will succeed Niall Wyle as MD of Sika SA, a company which provides speciality chemicals for the construction industry, following the promotion of Wyle to area manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Adams has 20 years in the construction industry, 15 of those with Sika.

The new MD began working at Sika in 1995 as a technical sales consultant in construction in the Western Cape, rising to regional sales manager in the province within three years. He relocated to Durban as the firm's national construction manager in 2003.

HMC Seswa Corporate Communications has announced the promotion of Mbali Msimango from senior account manager to practice group head.

HMC Seswa corporate communications is a public relations agency with a 27-year track record in the industry.

Johanna McDowell, the chairman of the company, said: "Since joining the agency in August 2009, Mbali has grown in leaps and bounds. Her excellent media skills combined with an outstanding work ethic have helped her to develop into a valuable colleague and role model within the company in a very short time."

Msimango's qualifications include a diploma in public relations and more than 12 years' experience in the industry.