Due to illness, Michael Behrendt, a long-term servant to German liner giant Hapag-Lloyd, is cutting back his role at the Hamburg firm.

Behrendt, 74, who was Hapag-Lloyd’s CEO for 12 years through 2014, and has been chairman of the supervisory board since then, will now become an ordinary member of the board.

Taking his place as chairman is a well-known name in German business circles, Karl Gernandt, whose career has seen him hold senior positions at Deutsche Bank, Holcim, Kuehne Holding and Lufthansa. Gernandt, 65, has been on the Hapag-Lloyd board since 2009.

“This decision does not in any way diminish the extraordinary contributions of Michael Behrendt. All members of the Supervisory Board expressly wish for his return as Chairman following his full recovery,” Hapag-Lloyd stated in a release.