At today’s extraordinary board meeting, SM SAAM’s Board of Directors appointed Hernán Gómez Cisternas as its new CEO, after almost 10 years leading the company. He is replacing Macario Valdés Raczinsky, who will become a member of its Board of Directors and the CEO of Quiñenco.

Gómez, who will start his new duties on February 1, is an industrial engineer with a specialization in transportation engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He has led the company’s Towage Division (SAAM Towage) since 2020. Under his management, the division has doubled in size through different M&A processes to position itself as the third largest operator in the world.

Hernán Gómez SAAM

The future CEO joined SM SAAM in 2016 first as Chief Development Officer and later as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer. Prior to joining the company, Gómez was Deputy Development Manager at Quiñenco, the holding company that controls 66% of SAAM, which hired him in 2015 after completing his studies in the US.

SAAM’s Board of Directors thanks Macario Valdés for his considerable contribution to SAAM’s development, his vision, his innovative spirit, his ability to form strong teams and his upstanding character.

SM SAAM is a multinational company with more than 60 years in business. It is the leading provider of harbour towage services in the Americas and third globally, as well as a benchmark in airport logistics services in the region.
Source: SAAM