CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group Frank Appel emphasised DHL’s commitment to global trade at the logistics giant’s AGM in Berlin earlier this week. “The future is global,” said Appel. “Anything else is a misconception.”

Appel added: “If you build new barriers, you will not be successful in the long term. Walls are not the solution. We want to make tomorrow better than today. To achieve this, we need to grow together even more.”

Appel informed shareholders that, following on from a “very successful” year in 2017, Deutsche Post DHL Group is “well on track to achieve its strategic and financial goals for 2020”.

“We are strongly positioned for a successful future,” said Appel. “In 2017, with the current structure in place, we achieved the best result in the history of our company.”

Appel confirmed the goal of increasing operating profit (EBIT) in the current financial year to €4.15bn. EBIT would top €5bn by 2020, Appel said, adding that this was “challenging, but realistic”.