Seatrade Maritime: Chile’s SM SAAM appoints Hernan Gomez as new CEO

At an extraordinary board meeting, SM SAAM’s Board of Directors appointed Hernan Gomez as its new CEO, after almost 10 years leading the company. 

He is replacing Macario Valdes, who will become a member of its Board of Directors and the CEO of Quiñenco, the holding company that controls 66% of SM SAAM.

Gomez, who will start his new duties on 1 February, is an industrial engineer with a specialisation 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 towage operator in the world.

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. 

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.