Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus-based Columbia Group has appointed Ulla Eithz Nielsen as deputy chief operating officer as it expands its integrated global maritime services platform and strengthens group-level leadership.
Appointment and role focus
Columbia said Eithz Nielsen will work closely with the executive leadership team, focusing on operational alignment, organisational effectiveness and the long-term development of the group’s activities across ship management and related maritime services.
Previous experience
Eithz Nielsen joins Columbia after more than six years in senior leadership roles at V.Group, where she held operational and executive positions, including managing director roles within the group. Columbia said she worked across complex, multi-layered operating structures, which aligns with the company’s current phase of development.
Career background
Her career began at sea, and she is a qualified master mariner. She later moved ashore with A.P. Moller – Maersk and then spent a decade at NORDEN, where her responsibilities included process excellence, business applications and business intelligence. Columbia said these roles shaped her subsequent work at V.Group, where she played a key role in developing and rolling out group-wide operating models.
Executive comments
Columbia chief operating officer Leonid Zalenski said Eithz Nielsen brings structure and scale to the role, citing what he described as a strong operational mindset and an understanding of how maritime organisations need to be structured to perform consistently at scale. He said her experience would support the group’s focus on clarity, accountability and effective delivery.
Statement from Eithz Nielsen
Eithz Nielsen said she was looking forward to working closely with the Columbia team as the group continues to invest in its operational platform and digital capabilities. She said she had been warmly welcomed and was enjoying working closely with Zalenski and the wider leadership team.
What do you see as the main priorities for Columbia Group as it develops its integrated maritime services platform?