‘Invest in travel’
Deutsche Post DHL Group has about 550,000 employees worldwide with offices in over 220 countries. The world’s largest courier and logistics company handles about 55 million letters a day and approximately over 1 million international shipments on a daily basis.
It has a fleet of 260 aircraft, more than 103 vehicles and over 27,000 bicycles and continues to experiment on innovative solutions and products in today’s ever-changing world besieged with so many environmental and other challenges, including the Coronavirus pandemic.
Leading this busy globalized force of expert logisticians is Dr. Frank Appel, a neuroscientist before he indulged into the corporate world.
The Hamburg-born, Dr. Appel completed his Master’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Munich and later obtained a PhD in Neurobiology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in 1993. He began working as a consultant with McKinsey & Co., one of the world’s leading research and consultancy firms, where he eventually became a partner in 1999.
In 2000, Dr. Appel joined Deutsche Post AG as Managing Director, Corporate Development and quickly rose to prominence. In 2008, he was appointed CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group, a position he will held through 2022.
Combining his scientific background with astute business sense and the power to motivate people, Dr. Appel led Deutsche Post DHL Group to new heights: The Group’s 2019 revenue was up 2.9% year-on- year to EUR 63.3 billion. And preliminary revenue results for 2020 yielded a new record—EUR 66.8 billion—with the rise in global e-commerce and more demand for logistics and air cargo services due to the pandemic.
Dr. Appel said while the company’s broad geographic positioning and comprehensive portfolio means it’s more resilient and robust than other companies, “a global crisis such as the coronavirus does not leave us unaffected.”
“2020 was an exceptional year: despite all the challenges faced, we achieved a record result. Our strategy and business model have proven resilient—even in turbulent times for the global economy. Thanks to the incredible performance of our 550,000 employees all over the world, we made a positive contribution to people and societies during the Covid-19 crisis. We are now focused on distributing the Covid-19 vaccine all over the world,” Dr. Appel said in a statement.
Striking a balance between his successful and well-rewarded career and family, Dr. Appel makes sure his weekends are devoted to his wife and children.
And their favorite activity—traveling.
“I’m neither a car fool nor a watch fool, nor do I buy expensive suits. But I like to travel. And I also spend a little more on it,” Dr. Appel said in an interview with Der Tagesspiegel, a German daily newspaper.
“I have already traveled to many beautiful countries with my family. I find it difficult to single out one thing. I travel to take memories with me. I also say to people who have less money: Invest in travel,” added the CEO who is also into mountain biking.
Indeed, simple things in life like biking and traveling matter most even for those who can afford everything.
