Welcome to the first episode of The Schelling Point! In this conversation, we’re joined by Adrian Pinna, the legendary former CEO (“Chief Entertainment Officer”) of OOCL and a fixture at TPM for over 25 years.
Adrian takes us through:
-His 40-year journey in shipping, from Delhi to Hong Kong
-How OOCL bounced back from bankruptcy in the late ’80s
-The art of building strong customer relationships
-The evolution of global trade, from 2,800 TEU ships to 24,000+ TEU
-Why relationships—not transactions—still drive the industry
-His take on tariffs, Trump, and the future of manufacturing in America.
This episode is packed with insights, humour, and hard-earned wisdom. Whether you’re in logistics, finance, or leadership—there’s something here for you.
01:15 – Meet the Prince of Hong Kong!
02:20 – How did the Adrian Pinna phenomenon come to be?
03:35 – From Diplomatic Cargo to OOCL: Adrian’s Early Career
05:35 – From 2,800 TEUs to 24,000 TEUs: OOCL’s Exponential Growth
08:00 – The OOCL’s Turnaround Story
10:35 – How OOCL started to support TPM?
11:43 – Adrian’s secret sales hack
14:06 – How to entertain your clients during a global financial downturn?
16:10 – The path of a loyal customer
17:49 – What happens at TPM: prelude before contract negotiation
20:16 – Contract rate and Spot rate, what to choose?
23:09 – What are the incentives/KPIs inside a corporate that drive their behavior?
26:11 – Who gets to decide to roll a container?
30:31 – “Customers First, But Not Always Right”
31:55 – Why Adrian Still Loves the Shipping Industry
33:21 – Reputation is Everything: My word is my bond.
34:32- The DuPont Global Loyalty Contract: the first of its kind
37:34 – Taking care of the customer: moving sodium cyanide across sea and rail
39:36- Adrian’s Take on Donald J Trump’s Trade Policies : TACO
44:52 – Can India take China’s place in Manufacturing?
46:59 – Dubai is the new place to be!
48:34 – How will you build the Adrian Pinna’s Line?
52:10 – OOCL’s secret to success: invest in your people!
54:38 – The question Adrian would not answer
57:45 – What are the core qualities for a good shipping CEO in the current market environment?
1:06:02 – Who’s Next on the Schelling Point?
Adrian Pinna, the legendary former CEO (“Chief Entertainment Officer”) of OOCL and a fixture at TPM for over 25 years.