Maria Iben Matthiesen: steady through change, anchored by heart and grit

Shaped by people. Grounded in purpose.

Maria Iben Matthiesen joined Maersk Training twenty years ago as a young team leader in Customer Service in Svendborg. Two decades on, she is our Chief People Officer – and in between, she has worn almost every hat the company has asked her to wear, including stepping in as COO when the business needed it, on top of her HR work.

Becoming CPO was not a leap. It was the natural continuation of a career spent close to operations, close to people, and close to the moments where they meet.

"I've spent most of my career working at the intersection of people, business transformation, and leadership."

Her foundation was built in organisations going through change: growth, restructuring, cultural shifts. Being close to senior leadership teams during complex transitions – where trade-offs between speed and care, results, and sustainability were real – taught her what she now carries into every decision.

"Trust, clarity, and fairness are not 'soft' topics. They are fundamental to performance."

That belief was reinforced by a background spanning operations, HSEQ and other parts of the business – an understanding of the business model that keeps her people agenda grounded in commercial reality.

Leading a people agenda that serves the business

As CPO, Maria's remit is broad: leadership capability, organisational design, employee experience, governance, and ensuring Maersk Training acts responsibly and consistently across every market it operates in.

"My role is to ensure that our people agenda supports both our business strategy and our values."

No two days look the same. Her time moves between strategic topics with the leadership team, supporting leaders on people matters, and making sure decisions are thoughtful and well-grounded. A constant thread runs through all of it: alignment between regions, functions, and intentions.

In a global organisation, alignment does not mean uniformity. It means shared understanding of direction, priorities and expectations, while respecting local context. She holds that together through clear principles, transparency, and regular dialogue.

Deciding with impact, fairness and the long view

When priorities compete, Maria looks at three things: impact, fairness, and long-term consequences. She asks whether a decision is sustainable, not just operationally, but culturally.

"If a decision makes sense on paper but erodes trust, it usually costs more in the long run."

Short-term decisions are sometimes necessary. What matters is being explicit about the trade-offs and being honest when a short-term call pulls against the organisation you are trying to build.

The trends shaping her thinking are the ones shaping every global people function today: increased regulatory complexity, changing expectations from employees, and the growing importance of leadership quality in distributed organisations. Each reinforces the same lesson – strong fundamentals in how we lead and organise work matter more, not less.

Growing leaders. Protecting culture.

Maria's ambition is clear. She wants Maersk Training to be an organisation where people feel respected, heard, and clear about what is expected of them – and where leaders take real ownership of both results and behaviour, including safety.

The opportunity she sees ahead is a balance rather than a choice. Strengthening leadership capability and clarity of roles and processes, while preserving the strong, care-driven culture and deep industry expertise the company already holds.

Progress, in her view, is not only measured in engagement data.

"What matters most is the quality of conversations, the way decisions are made, and whether people trust the organisation. Especially in difficult moments."

Staying grounded

Outside work, Maria makes space away from schedules and decisions. Time with family and friends. Being outdoors. In summer, time on the water is her favourite reset.

What keeps her curious is learning, formally and informally, and conversations with people who see the world differently than she does. What inspires her is simple: people who act with integrity, humility, and courage, particularly when it would be easier not to.

Clear, calm, and human

Three principles guide how Maria shows up as a leader: respect, honesty, and responsibility. She believes leaders should be clear, calm, and human, especially when situations are complex.

One piece of advice has stayed with her through every transition:

"You don't need to have all the answers, but you do need to be clear about what you stand for."

For those early in their careers, her message is direct. Invest in your judgment and your values, not just your skills. Roles will change. How you treat people and how you make decisions will stay with you throughout your career.

The best wingman you can get

Maria would rather stay out of the spotlight, but after twenty years, her colleagues have made sure she cannot.

CEO David Skov calls her "the best wingman you can get". Loyal, selfless, and always ready to do what is best for the company.

"Even though it's only 20 years, it should count for 100 with all the effort and dedication she has given." – David Skov, CEO

Global People Partner Sindhu Vijayan, who has worked closely with Maria for more than a decade, puts it this way:

"Working with Maria has been like getting a front row seat to a masterclass in leadership, integrity, and compassion. She's our anchor, our cheerleader, and sometimes our much-needed reality check. Maria leads with heart and strength, making every challenge feel lighter and every success shine brighter." – Sindhu Vijayan, Global People Partner

Classic Maria: she simply does what is needed.

It is the same instinct that brought her to Maersk Training over twenty years ago, the same instinct that had her step in as COO when the company asked, and the same instinct that quietly shows up in every difficult conversation, every late decision, every colleague who needed someone in their corner. Twenty years of care, courage, and steady leadership – given without expectation, and, whether she enjoys the attention or not, every bit of it earned.