CMP Group Appointed Michael Szwez as New CEO
The marine supplier has reorganized its leadership team by region to accelerate decision-making for its global customer base.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in People
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CMP Group has named Michael Szwez as its new CEO, marking a leadership transition that moves decision-making closer to its customers in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Szwez, who has been with the company since 2016, succeeds interim CEO Pete Samson.
Why it matters
The leadership change aims to decentralize operations, allowing regional leaders like Darrick Lemaster in Virginia and Marco Piacenza in Europe to respond more nimbly to local market demands. This strategy is intended to foster sustained long-term growth by aligning regional sales and operations with customer-specific requirements.
The new CEO brings 30 years of marine industry experience to the leadership role after serving in multiple vice presidential capacities since 2016. It remains to be seen how the new regional reporting structure will impact long-term corporate growth targets.
The players
Michael Szwez
The new CEO of CMP Group who previously served as senior vice president of sales and marketing.
Pete Samson
An executive who served as interim CEO prior to the appointment of Michael Szwez.
Fabien Vignes
A regional leader focusing exclusively on the Asia-Pacific business operations for CMP Group.
Darrick Lemaster
An executive who oversees commercial marine business and operations based in Suffolk, Virginia.
Marco Piacenza
The executive leader of the European business division for the company.
The details
CMP Group is delegating operational responsibility to leaders across three key global regions to streamline regional sales and manufacturing. While teams in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific will gain more autonomy, they will continue to follow a unified global corporate strategy. This structure enables division heads to manage regional distribution and OEM manufacturing more directly.
Timeline
Michael Szwez joined CMP Group in 2016.
Michael Szwez served as senior vice president of sales beginning in 2025.
Michael Szwez was appointed as CEO on October 9, 2026.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition follows a broader industry trend of decentralizing global supply chains to improve regional responsiveness. By shifting authority to regional leads, CMP Group aligns with a common strategy to mitigate logistical delays and capture local market share.
Operators should monitor whether this regional reorganization results in faster lead times or improved support for local OEM customers. Keep a close watch on regional distribution communications to see if the new strategy creates more flexible procurement options in your territory.
The takeaway
Decentralizing leadership can be a powerful tool for scaling operations in specialized industries like marine supplies. Monitor the regional performance reports of the new leaders to evaluate if this pivot toward regional autonomy successfully accelerates long-term growth.
Further reading
For more on shifts in industry leadership, see People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Marine Industry News.
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