Group Profile

Casa Rocha Building

After a secret meeting in Tokyo, Japan with Mr. Masao Doi, President of Daido Lines, which later on became Japan Lines, the Company was formed on November 23, 1937 and immediately began doing business as the newly appointed general agent of Daido lines in the Philippines. The Company initially concentrated on booking sugar export cargoes for its principal’s vessels and thus the famous and well-known cable address "SUGARCRAFT" was registered.

The outbreak of World War II in 1941 brought to a standstill all the shipping activities of the Company in the Far East. Only the San Francisco office remained open. In 1945, after the end of the war, the Company immediately resumed the operations of its Manila office and opened its branch offices in Japan under a special permit issued by the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Japan, Gen. Douglas MacArthur. This was followed shortly by the opening of additional branch offices in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

In the 1960’s, Don Antonio V. Rocha bought out the interests of Mr. Chester F. Sharp and the Company became a 100% Filipino owned corporation. A decade later Don Antonio retired and turned over the day to day management of the Group to his sons.

Today, the C.F. SHARP GROUP has expanded from its original business of Liner and Husbanding Agencies, to being a leader in the fields of Crewing, Travel, Freight Forwarding, Brokerage, Air Cargo, Airline GSA, Land-based Recruiting and Training.

Mr. Antonio L. Rocha is the Chairman Emeritus, and Ambassador Juan Jose P. Rocha is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the C.F. SHARP GROUP.

Capt. Hans J. Rosenfeldt, Director of C.F. Sharp Crew Management, Inc., and Sharp-ISS Port Agencies, Inc. CFSCMI is one of the largest and most reputable manning agencies in the Philippines. Sharp-ISS is an alliance between the C.F. SHARP GROUP and Inchcape Shipping Services and is also one of the largest husbanding agencies in the country. Capt. Rosenfeldt is also the Managing Director of the Group's Singapore offices: C.F. Sharp Shipping Agencies Pte. Ltd. and Sharp Travel Service Pte. Ltd.

Mr. Uwe Hesse, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of C.F. Sharp Shipping Agencies, Inc. and Commercial Freight Services, Inc., heads the operations of these two companies which are the Group's arm in Liner Shipping, Freight Forwarding, Brokerage and Air Cargo.

Mr. Raul V. Austria, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sharp Travel Service (Philippines), Inc. is in charge of the groups travel business and ensures to uphold its position as a leading firm in the travel community. Sharp Travel is the oldest and largest travel agency in the Philippines and it specializes in handling of corporate, seafarer travels and inbound tours.

Mr. Austria is assisted by Ms. Ma. Lourdes T. Banzon, Executive Vice president and Chief Operating Officer. She coordinates all activities of the company and controls over the management of the same.

Ms. Olga B. Oronce, Vice President Finance and Treasurer of C.F. Sharp Holdings, Inc. is in charge of the treasury management and finances of all the companies within the C.F. Sharp Group.

Mr. Jon B. Rocha, former President and Chief Operating Officer of International Quality Manpower Services, Inc., has moved to C.F. Sharp Holdings Inc. and is the current Senior Vice-President in charge of over-all coordination of resources from all group member companies.

Mr. Miguel A.V. Rocha, Vice-President for Business Development. His role is to develop new ways of improving the business, increase market share and to continue the tradition of providing top rate seafarers to CFS principals.

Mr. Roger J. Storey, Marketing Director of the C. F. Sharp Group, is in-charge of the Group’s international marketing operations based at the office of the C. F. Sharp Shipping Group in the United Kingdom.