Adm. Bill Burke, who has served as the chief maritime officer at Carnival Corp. & plc since 2013, will be transferred to an external affairs advisor role in February. Lars Ljoen will succeed him.
Ljoen, who currently serves as Carnival Cruise Line’s chief operations officer, will assume the corporate officer role on February 1. During that time, he will oversee all aspects of maritime operations, reporting to Carnival Corp. and CEO Josh Weinstein. He will also be responsible for strategic development and oversee the management of the company’s owned and operated ports. Jan Shwartz currently oversees destination development, and when Ljoen takes on that role, Swartz will switch to managing global sustainability programs.
As a 25-year cruise industry veteran, Ljoen has led multiple sea command and shore management roles at a senior level. As the chief operations officer for the Carnival Brand, he oversees marine operations that include nautical and technical operations, environmental compliance, and safety protocols. He also currently leads port operations, guest operations, onboard revenue, food and beverage services, entertainment, and crew and travel options.
Weinstein, Carnival Corp.’s CEO, was quoted as saying that Ljoen is “the obvious choice for this vital role, given his deep knowledge of our industry, his pedigree of success in key senior-level positions in the company, and his ability to consistently deliver operational excellence and business results for our largest global cruise line.” The CEO goes on to state that Ljoen’s leadership during the most challenging times in their industry has helped Carnival Cruise Line navigate operational pause and quickly reclaim the title of the world’s largest and most popular cruise line.
Before venturing into work with Carnival Cruise Line, Ljoen served with the Costa Group from 2014, initially as the SVP, before being promoted to EVP and managing director in 2016. During his time at Costa Group, Ljoen was responsible for Carnival Maritime, the marine service unit, and additional duties such as fleet governance, marine projects, and continuous development. He also headed business strategy development for Ceres Marine Terminals (NYK Ports) and was the director of marine operations at the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Ljoen said he’s “eager to build on Bill [Burke]’s remarkable foundation of excellence and write the next important chapter.”
In his new role as the external affairs advisor, Burke will use his extensive expertise for key legislative, regulatory, and policy members globally and federally. Burke joined Carnival Corp. in 2013 following the creation of the chief maritime officer role after a distinguished career in the US Navy when Arnold Donald became the company’s new CEO.
Burke was a significant presence at Seatrade Cruise Global, where he spoke on a sustainability panel and updated the media on Carnival Corp.’s 2023 sustainability achievements.
Weinstein stated that he has “worked alongside Bill for over a decade” and that there was “no one he admired more.”
“A lifelong champion of progress, Bill has been at the forefront of revolutionizing cruise operations and our company’s revitalized commitment to compliance, excellence in protecting the health, safety, and security of our team members and guests, and safeguarding the environment.”
