Angus Campbell
With Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) since 2013, Angus Campbell
currently holds the role of Corporate Director – Energy Projects, supporting the
achievement of BSM’s business growth objectives in the energy sector with the main
focus on the development of commercially viable gas supply and energy infrastructure
projects. Previously, Angus served as Managing Director of BSM United Kingdom
and as Owner/Principal Consultant at CH4 Marine Advisory. Angus’ operational
background is specialised on managing dry/wet and gas carriers. Trained as a ship
manager, Angus has been in the shipping industry for over 40 years, starting his career
with Denholm Ship Management, followed by Seatrain, before working for Overseas
Ship Holding Group for 30 years in various senior positions including Head of OSG Gas.
Angus is an active member of the Nautical Institute.
Jan-Willem van den Dijssel
Jan-Willem van den Dijssel is an accomplished trader and business leader with over 20 years’ experience in the maritime trading industry. In his current role, Jan-Willem is responsible for the general management of Cargill’s business across the Americas.
Jan-Willem joined Cargill in 1996 as a grain trader in Santiago de Chile within the Latin America business unit. Later, he successfully held trading roles in Cargill’s global corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota and in Miami, Florida.
In 2004, Jan-Willem moved to the Panamax desk of Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business in Geneva, Switzerland before he became manager of the Americas Handy desk. In 2011, Jan-Willem joined the New Jersey office as Americas Commercial Manager. In 2014, he was promoted to his current role of Americas Lead.
Jan-Willem studied Finance and Accounting at Glasgow University and in 1995 he graduated with an MSc in Business and Commerce from Groningen University in the Netherlands.
In January 2018, Jan-Willem was named as Cargill’s board representative of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association.
Kirsi Tikka
Kirsi Tikka is Executive Vice President and Senior Maritime Advisor at ABS, responsible for aligning ABS strategic planning, client development, and product and service offerings with the industry’s technical needs and requirements.
Previously, Tikka served as ABS Executive Vice President Global Marine, Europe Division President, and as Vice President and Chief Engineer. Before joining ABS in 2001, Tikka was a professor of Naval Architecture at Webb Institute in New York. In addition to teaching, she carried out research on tanker structural strength and risk analysis, as well as active involvement in the U.S. National Research Council Marine Board studies on double hull tankers. Tikka also worked for Chevron Shipping in San Francisco and Wärtsilä Shipyards in Finland.
Tikka is a native of Finland and holds a doctorate degree in naval architecture and offshore engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and naval architecture from the University of Technology in Helsinki. She is a Fellow of both the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA). In 2012, Tikka received SNAME’s David W. Taylor Medal, the highest technical honor for naval architecture or marine engineering. She is a Foreign Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.
John Sitilides
John Sitilides is Principal at Trilogy Advisors LLC, specializing in government affairs, political communications and geopolitical risk management.
His client portfolio includes industry leaders in real estate development, home construction and agribusiness, and emerging technology companies. Working with former Members of Congress, Executive Branch officials, senior Congressional staff and retired ambassadors and military officers, he specializes in federal environmental permitting & regulatory reform, private property rights, water infrastructure, energy technology and natural resource conservation issues.
Sitilides serves on the Board of Directors of 3doo Inc., an advanced media technology company, and of Biovest International, developing personalized cancer immunotherapies. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Advanced Imaging Society, promoting the global film industry’s arts and technologies.
He has testified before Congress and has appeared on Fox News, CNN, CNN International, One America News and BBC News, and been cited in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg News, Reuters, Institutional Investor, and scores of leading broadcast, print and digital media.
Under a U.S. government contract, Sitilides manages the State Department’s professional development program for senior U.S. diplomats in Greece and Cyprus, in coordination with the Turkey program. He is a professional speaker on geopolitical risk management and the business impact of global affairs and American politics at investor and business conferences, and before government, military and intelligence community audiences.
He was Board Chairman of the Woodrow Wilson Center Southeast Europe Project through 2011, following seven years as Executive Director of the Western Policy Center, an international relations institute specializing in NATO/EU interests throughout southeastern Europe, until he negotiated its 2004 merger with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Previously, he served as federal affairs strategist to AKT Development Corporation, a major California land development corporation, where he managed Congressional & Executive branch agency lobbying & communications strategies on federal wetlands, endangered species, and property rights issues. He launched his career as a communications and legislative aide to Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY), including on his successful 1986 and 1992 re-election campaigns.
Sitilides serves on the Board of Directors of International Orthodox Christian Charities, a global humanitarian organization, and the Board of Trustees of Leadership 100, a national Greek Orthodox foundation. He is a member of the Association of International Risk Intelligence Professionals, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, the New York State Society of Washington D.C., the Columbia University Club of Washington, D.C., the Association of Former Senate Aides, and the Federalist Society for
Law and Public Policy Studies.
Sitilides holds a Master’s Degree in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University. He lives in McLean, VA with his wife, who is an attorney and businesswoman, and their four sons.
Francesco Bellusci
Born in 1966 in center Italy and grown up with a strong passion for the sea in all its broad aspects. In 1984 achieved an high school diploma in Humanistic Sciences and in 1992 graduated “cum laude” in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineer at Napoli Polytechnic University. Francesco Bellusci joined Scorpio Ship Management in 1994 as Superintendent, after having served the Italian Navy on board an oil recovery vessel. His duties at Scorpio over the years have included covering all responsibilities in ship management, such as maintenance, repair, new building, new projects, R and D, crewing and total quality assurance.
Mr. Bellusci was Technical Director from 1995, DPA from 1997 and was appointed General Manager in 2008 and Managing Director in 2010.
A high level of competence, strong motivation and an innate passion for the sea have guided his career development within Scorpio, a company with a solid base that allows him daily to carry out his responsibilities ethically and effectively, safeguarding the environment and contributing to the development of a sustainable world. Active member of Intertanko Safety, Technical and Environmental Committee and various other committees in Shipping.
The success of Scorpio would not have happened without a solid industrial plan where the vision of Francesco on ship efficiency and regulatory challenges was instrumental.
Josh Shapiro
Joshua Shapiro joined Liberty Maritime Corporation (LMC) as part of the company’s Strategic Planning and Operations departments. He quickly advanced to the position of Vice President and expanded his responsibilities to include Chartering, Business Development and Trade Management as well as Technological Systems Integration. Most recently, Mr. Shapiro was promoted to the office of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In addition, he is a member of the LMC Board of Directors which oversees the operation of the company’s business and is a member of its Executive Management Committee, which is responsible for planning and executing the corporation’s strategic business activities.
Prior to joining Liberty, he obtained his Master’s Degree in Shipping, Trade and Finance at the Cass Business School of City University in London. After receiving his Masters, he worked with various commercial shipping brokerage firms in London and abroad.
He received a B.A. in Political Science from Emory University and then worked in the United States House of Representatives as a Personal Aide and Legislative Policy Advisor to a Congressman. Mr. Shapiro’s professional resumè also includes experience with Public Policy, Maritime, Transportation and Logistics as well as Agribusiness.
Mr. Shapiro is an elected member of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the Young Shipping Professionals New York Association (YSPNY) and an associate member of the Association of Shipbrokers and Agents Association (ASBA).
Martin Krafft
Martin is a Master Mariner and Marine Engineer by profession and has sailed on Tall Ships, Container Vessels and Tankers. He came ashore in 2002 to join Columbia Shipmanagement in Hamburg/Germany during an exceptional phase of growth from 7 to 85 ships in full management.
As Commercial Director, Martin provided leadership and direction for putting the ship management agreements into action. Working hand in hand with the Technical Director, he was responsible for the delivery of safe, efficient and profitable services to the clients’ and company’s satisfaction.
In 2014 Martin joined Fednav Ltd., Canada’s largest ocean-going dry-bulk shipowning and chartering group. The company is the leader in international shipping on the Great Lakes, as well as the Canadian Arctic, boasting the world’s largest fleet of ice-class bulk carriers. As Vice President, Shipowning and Technical Services, Martin is responsible for Fednav’s newbuilding program and the management of their growing, 55+ strong fleet.
Martin holds a M.Sc. in Nautical Studies and Marine Engineering from HAW Hamburg, a business degree from AKAD Leipzig and an LL.M. from University of Saarland. Martin is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s High Potentials Leadership Program.
Salvatore d’Amico
Salvatore d’Amico is one of the third generation members of the d’Amico family who works within the Group.
During his undergraduate career, he worked for JP Morgan in Geneva before returning to the d’Amico Group where he completed his internal training by enriching his professional development in different shipping departments.
After achieving a degree in Economics he spent two years in the d’Amico Dublin office before returning to Rome where he currently holds the position of Group Fleet Director. He is member of several Boards of the Group companies, in particular d’Amico Shipping Singapore and d’Amico Shipping Italia. He has also been the CEO of Ishima since 2013.
Captain Joe Gross
Peter Hadjipateras
Jack Noonan
Jatinder Sunder
Don Carroll
Erny Otterspoor
Erny Otterspoor is VP Technical Director at TBS Ship Management in Scarsdale NY, a division of TBS Shipping a dry cargo commercial pool operator. A Naval Architecture graduate of NY Maritime he sailed , served in the USNR, worked for ABS, Farrell Lines, Moore McCormack Lines, Mormac Marine, Marine Transport Lines, Crowley, and Roymar TBS. For the majority of his career he worked as a Port Engineer/Superintendent and in Ship Management executive positions.
Fred Finger
Captain Mohan Muppidi
Captain Jim DeSimone
Captain James C. DeSimone was appointed as COO of the Staten Island Ferry in April 2004.
He is a maritime industry professional whose background includes vessel operations, shore-side management, and training and education experience, in both the private and public sectors. Prior to joining NYCDOT, he served as Vice President of Operations for the Brooklyn-based New York Water Taxi, overseeing all aspects of the marine operations for that company. Prior to that, from 1996 to 2003, Mr. DeSimone was Senior Vice President of Operations with the Cleveland-based Great Lakes Group, where he was responsible for the overall marine operation of a 51-vessel fleet providing services across the Great Lakes, in Florida, the Caribbean and in the Hawaiian Islands.
From 1987 to 1996, Captain DeSimone was Commandant of Cadets and Master of the Training Ship at our nation’s oldest maritime institution, the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, where he was responsible for all college activities external to academic affairs and the operation of college training ship. Prior to that, from 1973 to 1987, Mr. DeSimone was employed with various steamship companies in all shipboard capacities from Able Seaman up to, and including, Master. During that time, he also served as port captain and cargo surveyor for various ship and cargo owners.
Mr. DeSimone, who is a Bronx native, holds a Master of Business Administration in Management and International Business from Manhattan College in Riverdale, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Transportation and Economics from the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler. He also holds a Professional Certificate in Chartering from the Association of Shipbrokers and Agents in New York, and a United States Coast
Guard License – Master of Steam or Motor Vessels of Any Gross Tons Upon Oceans, with first-class pilot endorsements.
Captain DeSimone is a member of the American Bureau of Shipping, the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council and Secretary of the APTA Waterborne Transit Subcommittee. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School and Kingsborough Community College Marine Technology Program, and is a member of the Standing Committee of the Marine Society of the City of New York.
The Staten Island Ferry was founded in 1905 and is today the nation’s largest passenger ferry carrying over 22 million passengers annually. The Staten Island Ferry is also the only marine operator in the United States to have voluntarily complied with the International Maritime Organization’s Safety Management System.
Steve Fitzgerald
Steve brings a deep background in maritime operations and sales positions with experience at leading companies in the US, Norway and the Middle East, complemented by expertise in risk management and finance from his time at GE Capital.
Career highlights:
- President, Capital Navigators
- VP Business
Development/Global Marine
Origination, GE Capital - Multiple Sales and Operations
Positions, Hoegh Autoliners - Port Captain, Hanjin Shipping
- MBA, Thunderbird School of
Global Management - US Merchant Marine Academy
Ramesh Bhat
Ramesh Bhat is a highly accomplished top executive in the maritime industry with over 38 years of experience specializing in shipbuilding, technical management, operations and crew management. He brings a global perspective and experience building high performance teams in complex organizations on any role he serves, and emphasizes strategic focus, collaborative partnerships and bold actions.
He has served as a Chief Technical Officer for a US flag owner / operator where he was the driving force behind streamlining company’s operational processes, reducing costs and negotiating contracts. In his prior experience at Eagle Shipping, he served as Technical Director where he played a critical role in transforming the company’s assets from 6 Supramax vessels to 56 vessels in a span of 10 years. He played a vital role in managing five offshore teams globally in China, Japan, Singapore, Russia and Myanmar. He was instrumental in building 39 new vessels from Japan and China where he managed and negotiated all aspects of ship building. He was instrumental in starting the company’s technical management in house and thus improving ships performance while making it cost effective. In area of crew management, he scouted for the best of the breed from Ukraine, Myanmar, India, China and the US. In the early 2000, he was instrumental in starting a US operation for Hong Kong based Jardine Ship Management where he focused not only on ship management but also marketing.
Bhat holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and in Marine Engineering. He also holds an advanced degree of Masters in Maritime Management.
He is a former board member of Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA), and is a member of American Bureau of Shipping’s global technical committee and Class NK US owners committee and has been a key note speaker at various conferences. He has also involved in mentoring young maritime graduates and recruits.
Costis Kertsikoff
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