After a competitive selection process, Maersk has chosen Mecklenburg County as the site for its North American headquarters, with plans to add 520 jobs to its Charlotte workforce. The company will expand its presence in south Charlotte, where it purchased office space in 2006, investing $16 million and eventually growing its local staff to over 1,300 employees.
“Charlotte has been an important part of our story here at Maersk for over two decades, and we’re proud to now make it our official North America headquarters location,” said Charles van der Steene, president of Maersk’s North America Region. “The city’s strong infrastructure and talented workforce have helped drive our growth over the years. We’re excited to strengthen our commitment to Charlotte and continue building on the success we’ve achieved together.”
The new headquarters will house several corporate functions such as finance, human resources, commercial strategy, and technology. The hiring plan includes positions in logistics and supply chain management, finance, legal services, customer experience, business support, operations, and human resources. Some of these roles do not require a college degree. The average wage for these new jobs is $100,962.
“Maersk’s decision to invest here is a testament to Mecklenburg County’s reputation as a global center for commerce and innovation,” said Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners Chair Mark Jerrell. “This announcement demonstrates the strength of our talented workforce, expands opportunities for our residents, and will spin off even more small businesses in the future.”
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles welcomed the move: “I’m proud to welcome Maersk to the growing list of global companies that call Charlotte home,” she said. “Some of the world’s most dynamic and forward-thinking companies are headquartered in our city. With global connectivity, a talented workforce and an exceptional quality of life, Charlotte is an ideal place for leading brands to put down roots and grow.”
Maersk is part of Danish conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk and was founded in 1904. The company employs more than 10,000 people across North America out of its approximately 100,000 employees worldwide.
The relocation project was supported by Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte working alongside state agencies such as the North Carolina Department of Commerce; other partners included Central Piedmont Community College and UNC Charlotte.
“Maersk’s decision to bring its North American headquarters to Charlotte speaks to North Carolina’s reputation as a top destination for global business,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We are home to a world-class workforce, and we’re proud to welcome Maersk to North Carolina – the top state for business in the country.”
Charlotte was recently ranked second among U.S. cities for headquarters locations by Site Selection magazine based on expert surveys. The region hosts 19 Fortune 1000 companies.
Over the past year alone, Mecklenburg County schools enrolled more than 153,500 students during the 2022-23 academic year according to https://www.dpi.nc.gov/, although overall enrollment saw a slight decrease compared with previous years (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
In addition to Maersk’s expansion plans, Mecklenburg County has seen significant job growth from other companies relocating or expanding within Charlotte—creating more than 4,100 new jobs and attracting $438 million in capital investment through projects involving Scout Motors, Pacific Life Insurance Co., SoFi Technologies and others.
