Prof. Walter Kemmsies

Trade, Logistics and Infrastructure Strategist, The Kemmsies Group

Experience

Dr. Walter Kemmsies is the managing partner of The Kemmsies Group, where he executes initiatives for public and private sector clients who have interests in or properties proximate to sea, river and inland rail ports throughout North America. His expertise extends to the infrastructure sector where he assists both public agencies and investors in underwriting, financing, and evaluating new investment vehicles and opportunities.

Walter is widely viewed as one of the foremost experts on ports, rail and infrastructure in the U.S. His areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, demand forecasting, maritime and overall global trade regulatory issues, public/private port and infrastructure financing as well as long term strategic planning/capital investment. Walter’s professional experience working and living in Europe, Latin America and Asia uniquely qualifies him as a global trade economist.

Achievements

He currently advises several major U.S. Port Authorities and is routinely asked to work on complex issues with various investment banks, private equity firms and public regulatory agencies. He provides substantial support to the freight movement industry via presentations at major international industry conferences and advising the US Department of Commerce on supply chain competitiveness. Walter recently testified to the US Senate Transportation and Commerce Subcommittee on issues affecting the freight industry. He has also published research in scholarly journals and provided expert testimony to the US Senate Transportation and Commerce Subcommittee.

Walter previously led JLL’s Ports Airports and Global Infrastructure practice. Before that he was the Chief Economist for Moffatt & Nichol, a leading global maritime infrastructure advisement firm. Preceding his experience working with Moffatt & Nichol, Walter was the Head of European Strategy at JP Morgan in London and, earlier, Head of Global Industry Strategy at UBS in Zurich and London.

Education and Affiliations

Walter is an advisor to the U.S. Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness. He was a member of the Department of Transportation’s National Task Force on Transportation Infrastructure Valuation. From 2012 to 2018.

He holds a Doctorate degree in Economics from Texas A&M University, a Master of Arts in Economics from Florida Atlantic University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Florida Atlantic University.