Taking responsibility
Designed as a close network of largely stand-alone companies, the Hartmann Group is organized de-centrally. Our companies act independently in their daily operations, as they are highly specialized and know their markets and customers best. Hartmann AG is the superordinate structure, the holding company, which unites the companies of the Hartmann Group under one roof. We define the Hartmann Group’s long-term goals and its strategic orientation. This comprises the coordination of investments, risk management, participation controlling, strategic personnel development and corporate communications.
Being the head of the group of companies, Hartmann AG has an eye for the “Big Picture”, the overall view on the Hartmann Group’s performance and its activities - bundling, analyzing and utilizing data. This enables us to focus on long-term trends in the industry and develop the group’s overall strategy, for example concerning the ideal composition of the fleet.
As a family company, we focus on slow, sustainable and healthy growth. Our objective is to ensure the success of the group for future generations. Successful long-term development has always been more important to us than a short-term maximizing of profits.
Prerequisite for the successful future for the Group of Companies is our willingness to change. We grasp new opportunities to further enhance and develop our performance through the transfer of knowledge and technology. And the individual requirements of our customers always take pride of place.
Long-term business relations and direct contact to our customers is essential to us. This enables us to listen thoroghly, understand their needs and develop new projects jointly, in order to find the best tailor-made solutions.
The maritime industry has always been a truly international business - it already practised the concept of globalization long before the term was invented. Especially on board ship, people of different nationalities live and work together. That's why respect for the cultures and traditions of other countries are a matter of course for us. We expressly condemn ethnic, religious or any other form of discrimination.
As a family company, we expressly commit ourselves to our social responsibilities. We strive to provide long-term job security and to continue to honor social commitments. This is why we always have the most important business objective firmly in our sights: to make a profit.
We know that our employees are the main factor in our success. As a family business, we feel responsible for each and every one of them. We are not an anonymous concern. We are - and shall remain - a company of the Hartmann family.
Management
Captain Alfred Hartmann

Position: | Chairman of the Supervisory Board |
Born: | 1947 |
Education: | trained shipbroker and shipping merchant training and seafaring time as a cadet with Norddeutscher Lloyd course of study in Leer leading to the rank of Master for deep-sea vessels of any size and any type |
Career: | maritime experience as a Nautical Officer and Captain in worldwide trade two-year stay in Japan as newbuilding supervisor Head of Personnel in a shipping company since 1981 ship-owner in Leer with worldwide interests until June 2008 CEO of Hartmann AG since June 2008 Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hartmann AG since January 2015 President of the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) |
He is a member of the Advisory Committees of classification societies Bureau Veritas and DNV. Furthermore, he is Board Member of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
Alfred Hartmann is Honorary Senator of the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer and supports the University’s Seafaring Department in Leer. Furthermore he is co-founder of the Maritime Competence Center MARIKO in Leer, which focusses on "green shipping".
Alfred Hartmann is Chairman of the Hospice Foundation Leer.
Dr. Niels Hartmann

Position: | Chief Executive Officer (CEO) |
Born: | 1975 |
Education: | Studied business management at the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel. Diploma in 2001. Several traineeships abroad during his studies, amongst others in Philadelphia and Limassol. Professional stay in Sydney, Australia. PhD about “national location factors for shipowning companies” at the University of Kiel in 2005 |
Career: | Founded Hartmann Offshore GmbH in 2004. Member of the Board of Directors of Hartmann AG since February 2007. CEO in 2008. He is, amongst others, responsible for the strategic development of the Hartmann Group’s business and fleet and for organizational matters. |
Dr. Niels Hartmann is member of the Board of the German Shipowners Defence Association.
Michael Hoppe

Position: | Chief Financial Officer (CFO) |
Born: | 1964 |
Education: | Studied business management in Düsseldorf. Entrepreneurial activities during his studies already. Diploma in 1992. Several traineeships abroad during his studies, amongst others in Philadelphia and Limassol |
Career: | Launched his career as a controller. Since 1995 in business management positions, for example with the Deutsche Post and Vodafone. With Hartmann AG since December 2006. Member of the Board of Directors since February 2007. He is responsible for all financially relevant areas, including participation control and risk management. |
Michael Hoppe is a guest lecturer at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management since 2011.