Conference Speakers 2016
Conference Chair

Clive Woodbridge
Editor
The Maritime Standard
Clive Woodbridge

Editor
The Maritime Standard
A well-respected freelance journalist Clive Woodbridge has been writing about shipping, ports and logistics related issues since 1982.
For more than 30 years he has contributed to some of the leading publications in the industry, including Lloyds List, Seatrade, Cargo Systems, Container Management and Containerisation International, and has particular expertise in the shipping and maritime sectors in the Middle East.
See more at: flagshipme.com
Keynote Speakers

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi
CEO
Abu Dhabi Ports
Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi

CEO
Abu Dhabi Ports
Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi is the CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, the owner, operator developer and regulator of Abu Dhabi’s maritime infrastructure and industrial zones.
As CEO, he develops and directs the strategy and operations of Abu Dhabi Ports’ portfolio of assets and activities, and has successfully driven the transition from a project-focused organization to fully operational, customer focused ports and industrial zones business.
A strong, determined and entrepreneurial leader, he leads Abu Dhabi Ports’ role in the government objective of diversifying the non-oil and gas economy while fulfilling the national goal of empowering Emirati talent.
Al Shamisi is an experienced maritime executive with more than 18 years industry experience, used to demonstrating industry leadership across the region and internationally. He joined ADPC in 2008 and has held key leadership positions including Executive Vice President for the ADPC Port Unit, where he was instrumental in restructuring the Ports Unit and rationalizing its assets.
He oversaw the completion and commissioning of the first phase of Abu Dhabi Ports’ flagship port, Khalifa Port and of its adjacent Khalifa Industrial Zone. He served as a Board Member and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Terminals, resigning on his appointment to the role of CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports. He is currently a Board Member of Etihad Airways and an Advisory Board Member of Wollongong University, Australia in Dubai.
Al Shamisi holds an MBA and Graduate Certificate of Management from the University of Tasmania, Australia and was awarded Young Personality of the Year at the Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards 2012. He is currently Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Cruise Development Committee.
He also holds an advanced Diploma of Applied Science (shipmaster) and was awarded the Australian Maritime College’s Baird Publication Prize for Best Performance in Navigation studies and a Sheikh Rashid Award for Academic Excellence.

H.E. Dr. Abdullah Salem Alkatheeri
Director General
Federal Transport Authority-Land & Maritime
H.E. Dr. Abdullah Salem Alkatheeri

Director General
Federal Transport Authority-Land & Maritime
Speakers & Panelists

Deputy CEO
KOTC
Ali Shehab Ahmad

Deputy CEO
KOTC
Ali Shehab Ahmad is a graduate from South Tyneside College (Marine College) in United Kingdom.He sailed as a Chief Engineer on-board KOTC vessels and spent considerable time at sea before being assigned on-shore at KOTC Head Office. His experience at sea, saw him lead the Fleet Personnel Group before being assigned as Manager of the critical New Building Projects Group
He is currently the Deputy CEO of KOTC,holding charge of the Fleet Directorate which includes all operational matters for Fleet which include the Fleet Marine Operations, Engineering, Personnel, New Building Projects, the Marine Agency Branch and the LPG plants in Kuwait.
Prior to this, Mr. Ali Shehab was the Manager for Fleet New Building Projects, and was largely responsible for KOTC Fleet Renewal plans as well as inducting modern environment-friendly technologies on-board all the vessels.
While stationed at Ulsan, Korea from2005 to 2007, as KOTC Site Manager at Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), he was awarded the Ulsan Honorable Citizenship by the Ulsan City Mayor in Oct 2007.
He also serves as a distinguished Chairman and Board Member in KOTC subsidiaryshipping companies. He is also the Chairman of the DNV-GL Middle East Technical Committee – which is the No.1 Classification Society in the world, and a member of ABS – SouthEast Asia and the Middle East Technical committee.
As a leader, he has always placed great trust and faith in the inherent capabilities of his colleagues. He has always encouraged them to explore and develop and reach to their maximum potential, while being a fully supportive leader.

Managing Director and Group CEO
Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC
Khamis Juma Buamim

Managing Director and Group CEO
Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC
Chairman of the Board-DDW-PaxOcean Asia Pte Limited. Chairman of Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries. Chairman of the Federal Committee for the review and update of the maritime commercial law.
Khamis Juma Buamim was appointed as the Executive Chairman of Drydocks World and Maritime World in May 2010 and has successfully led the organization through its restructuring during a global financial crisis. His leadership and direction have been instrumental in the company being able to acquire several pioneering projects on a global scale. This leadership has seen the company move from close to financial failure, create major synergies, recognize potential and place the organization firmly on a path driven to sustainable profitability and growth.
An oil and gas industry veteran, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Regional Clean Sea Organization (the Gulf oil industry organization). Prior to joining RECSO, he was with Conoco and ConocoPhillips for 26 years in various management positions, including Vice President of Dubai Petroleum Company (DPC), a ConocoPhillips affiliate company in the United Arab Emirates.
He is also the Chairman of the Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries and the Federal NTA committee for the review and update of the maritime law and member of the advisory board of the Emirates Classification Society, TASNEEF.
He has also served as the Chairman and CEO of Dubai Drydocks and Dubai Maritime City, the Secretary General of the UAE Oil & Gas Human Resources Group, led the Dubai Petroleum Management Incident Command System, was a Member of International Human Resources Management and Advisor to the Gulf Career Development Forum, Secretary General of the Dubai Government Oil Spill Task Force, the Crisis Management Team of Dubai and the Region and Senior MENA region Advisor-Global Energy.
He holds a Degree in Business Management and Economics and a higher accreditation on the International Human Resources Management from the UK and has various outstanding accomplishments and certification including the National Management Certification in Incident Command Systems from Texas – USA.
H.E. Khamis Buamim received the Maritime Personality of the Year Award at MarineBiz TV International Maritime Awards 2013, Seatrade Maritime Excellence Award Middle East & Indian Subcontinent Awards 2013, Best Manager of the Year Award from the Europe Business Assembly’s Socrates Awards 2014, and an Award for Excellence in Shipyard Management for Offshore Services at the 1st International Maritime Club Golden Helm Excellence Awards 2014. He has also recently been awarded the World Leader Business Person Certificate for his leadership of DDWMW by the World Confederation of Business & was recognized with the “Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award” by Lloyds List for his contribution to the in an exemplary & profound manner and for his distinguished service to the maritime sector in the UAE, his role in reviving the legacy shipbuilder & helping to instill new energy into the Dubai & UAE maritime scene. In 2015 he was recognized by Tanker Shipping & Trade of London as being among the top 50 most influential people in the tanker industry worldwide

CEO
National Marine Dredging Company
Yasser Nasr Zagholoul

CEO
National Marine Dredging Company
Eng. Yasser Zaghloul has been the CEO of National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC), an executive arm of the government of Abu Dhabi, UAE, since 2009, having previously been its head of operations. NDMC is responsible for large scale projects in the dredging and marine construction industry. Eng. Yasser’s vision has been to expand NMDC so that it becomes a key international competitor in the market. This started in 2009, when NMDC acquired the Upper Zakum project, one of the furthest man made islands offshore. This project presented the company with many challenges, all of which were successfully overcome, leading to NMDC being recognised as one of the 20 best companies in the UAE according to Forbes German Foundation. Recent projects carried out by NDMC under Eng. Zhagloul’s leadership have included the Khalifa Port Expansion, New Suez Canal and Gujarat LNG terminal.

CEO
Emirates Classification (TASNEEF)
Eng. Rashed Al Hebsi

CEO
Emirates Classification (TASNEEF)
Mr. Rashed Al Hebsi, agraduate of the University ofMiami, USA, earned his B.S. in Electronics Engineering andUAE Naval Officer Commission. During his 22+ year Naval career, Mr. Al Hebsi held distinguished roles in the UAE Navy for new vessel construction, combat system designs, and program/project management roles in multiple countries.
In 2011, he was selectedas the Head of the Joint Committee to establish the first National Classification Society in the Arab World where he serves as the Chief Executive Officer forEmirates Classification Society, TASNEEF. Mr. Al Hebsi and TASNEEF have received many industry accolades from Company establishment and implementation during 2012-2014 and continue in 2015 as TASNEEF has been recognized in the Top Ten of Classification Societies world-wide.
Mr. Alhebsi is married with five children, fluent in five languages, an avid bicyclist, and an instrumental mentor to young Emirates to advance their education and professional opportunities in the Maritime World of Work.

Partner
Watson Farley & Williams
Andrew Baird

Partner
Watson Farley & Williams
Andrew has a wealth of experience in cross-border asset and project finance, with particular emphasis on the marine transportation and offshore sectors. He has represented clients including lenders, agent banks, lessors, lessees and owners on the financing of ships, shipping related assets (such as container boxes) and offshore assets. He also represents shipping companies in relation to non-contentious commercial shipping matters, including sale and purchase, newbuilding contracts and resales, transaction joint ventures and strategic alliances, charters and other contracts of employment for ships, shipping related assets and offshore assets.
Andrew is co-author of the FFABA Forward Freight Agreement and Freight Option Agreement and has been involved in advising on a number of disputes relating to freight derivative transactions. He is also consulting on updating the rules and regulations of Federal Law No. 26 of 1981 ‘Maritime Law’ and was recently featured in Seatrade’s UAE Special Report 2016.

Chairman
S One Capital
Sanjay Mehta

Chairman
S One Capital
Mr. Sanjay K. Mehta has over 25 years’ experience in proprietary fund management, investment banking and mergers and acquisition. Sanjay has wealth of experience in the industries of maritime transportation, port infrastructure, mobile telephony, oil & gas and power generation industries in which he has lead financing and M&A transaction in excess of USD 12 billion.
Sanjay since 2014 is chairman of his family trust fund, S ONE Trust and is CEO of S ONE Capital, asset manager of the trust fund based out of Geneva and London, prior to that Sanjay held the position of Managing Director, Essar Capital Limited asset manager for Essar Global Fund a USD 34 billion proprietary fund of the Ruia family. In 2006 Sanjay was instrumental in setting up of Essar Global Fund and its investment manager Essar Capital Limited. At Essar Global Fund he led and executed on a wide range of high profile M&A, financing, capital market transactions including one of the largest IPO on London Stock Exchange.
Prior to joining Essar, Sanjay worked for Hambros Bank, London, Goldman Sachs / J Aron & Co, New York and American Marine Advisors Inc. New York. Mr. Mehta is independent director and member of risk committee on the board of Steamship Mutual Limited, London. He is also independent board member of American Bureau of Shipping.
Sanjay has MBA from London Business School, London He graduated with Honours Degree from London School of Economics, London. He resides in Geneva and England.

Session Chair, Partner
Mercator International
Jesper Kjaedegaard

Session Chair, Partner
Mercator International
JesperKjaedegaard is a professional independent Board Member of several maritime related companies and also a Partner at Mercator International, an international consulting firm specializing in offering advisory services to Infrastructure Funds and Private Equity Firms with an interest in ports, vessels and other maritime related assets.
Mr. Kjaedegaard had a long and distinguished career with the A.P.Moller-Maersk Group where he served as a member of the A.P.MollerGroup’s Executive Board for all Container related Business, whilst also heading up the company’s global liner company, known then as Maersk-Sealand. He was also deeply involved in developing the Group’s container terminal activities, now better known as APMTerminals. In 2005 he relocated to the UK to become CEO of the The Maersk Company Ltd, until he left the company in 2009.
Based in Dubai, MrKjaedegaard currently serves as a Non-Executive Board Director for a number of both listed and privately owned maritime and transport related companies in Europe, India and South America, and he is also past President of the British Chamber of Shipping and Chairman of Maritime UK.

CEO & MD
Essar Ports Ltd.
Rajiv Agarwal

CEO & MD
Essar Ports Ltd.
Mr. Rajiv Agarwal is the CEO and Managing Director of Essar Ports Ltd, one of the largest private port companies in the country. He is a member of several industry committees and co-chairman of infrastructure committee of CII. Mr. Agarwal is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of experience and has held leadership position in industries like Ports, Shipping, Telecom, Retail and BPO.
He Joined Essar Group in 1997 as COO in Essar Telecom, he was the ED of Essar Shipping Limited (ESL) from 1998-2002. He was instrumental in setting up several startup companies as CEO like The MobileStore Limited, Telecom Towers and Infrastructure Limited and Aegis Communications. He also won the CEO of the Year Award in 2009 at Asia Retail Congress.

Chief Executive
Mercmarine Group
Thomas Kriwat

Chief Executive
Mercmarine Group
German-born Thomas Kriwat had a legal background originally, before becoming managing director of Reederei Eugen Friederich in Bremen. He then became managing director of Mercantile Marine Management in Colombo in 2000 before taking on his current role as chief executive of the Mercmarine group, a German-Sri Lankan joint venture, in 2013. Based in Colombo, Thomas is also now vice chairman of the Lanka Association of Shipowners and has written presentations on how to unleash Sri Lanka’s potential as a maritime nation.

Commercial Manager Middle East
Sohar Port & Freezone
Anders Kron

Commercial Manager Middle East
Sohar Port & Freezone
Anders Kron has broad international experience in logistics and port-related businesses and today is Commercial Manager Middle East at SOHAR Port and Freezone. Before joining the team at SOHAR in 2013, Kron worked with JAFZA in Dubai for more than six years. Kron heads the Dubai branch office for SOHAR and is responsible for business development throughout the GCC. SOHAR Port and Freezone is a 50:50 joint venture between Port of Rotterdam and the government of the Sultanate of Oman.

Chief Financial Officer
Emirates Ship Investment Company LLC
Chris Peters

Chief Financial Officer
Emirates Ship Investment Company LLC
Chris Peters Joined Eships in May 2009 from GE Commercial Finance London,
and has almost 20 years banking experience, of which the last 13 years were
directly in shipping/offshore finance. Chris attained an MBA from Cass
(formerly City University) Business School London, majoring in Finance and
Strategy. He has worked on multiple senior debt and project finance facilities
as MLA and has overseen several shipping IPO facilities. Whilst at GE he was
responsible for structuring and negotiating several equity acquisitions from a
shipping fleet to a shipping bank. At Eships Chris is directly responsible for the
production, maintenance and implementation of all the company’s policies
and procedures as well as the treasury / cash management function of the
business.

Partner
Fichte & Co.
Ziad Touma

Partner
Fichte & Co.
Areas of Expertise:
- Corporate M&A
- Corporate structuring and restructuring
- Corporate Real Estate
- Commercial
- Construction
Ziad joined Fichte & Co in June 2016 in the capacity of partner. He specialises in corporate M&A andstructuring of corporations and businesses. He assist clients in the GCC region to structure their international investments, businesses and corporation in the GCC region and abroad. Furthermore, Ziad has a considerable experience in dealing with commercial contractual matters, real estate and construction.
Before joining Fichte & Co, Ziad worked during (7) years as general counsel for respectively a medium size group in Abu Dhabi and a Saudi Arabian conglomerate involved in six major sectors of activities; real estate, construction, building material, industrial sector, and the services sector (insurance, investments, private equity, tourism, …) spread throughout the GCC, North Africa, South East Asia and Europe.
Prior to working in in-house roles, Ziad worked for (14) years respectively with leading law firms whether in Singapore, the UAE or Lebanon.
His notable achievements consist in the following:
- Leading the legal team for theIPO of the Dubai Financial Market (first Islamic compliant stock market);
- Leading the team of lawyers for the drafting of the laws for the Hotel Operators and time sharing law (Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority);
- Advising UAE clientson the participation into a fund of a total value of 3Billion US Dollars for investments in the healthcare and insurance sectors in Turkey;
- Advised and negotiated on behalf of his clients syndicated bank facility for an amount of 3Billion Saudi Riyals with regard to the construction of a power plant in Ras Al Kheir- KSA;
- Advised and structuredon behalf of his client, a member of the consortium of internation companies, the joint preparation of a multi-billion US$ successful bid for a PPP-BTO deal with theSaudi General Civil Aviation authority pertaining to the Madinat-Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz Airport;
- Advised his client in the sale of their share (almost a third) in a minority stake of 15% in ACWA Power – a major key player in the water and power generation and operation to SANABIL for an amount of 900 Million SAR;
- Negotiated on behalf of his client the settlement of a real estate dispute between partners involving amounts exceeding 600 million US$.
- Advised and negotiated on behalf of his client the setting up of a consortium including Bombardier and other parties for the bid of Riyadh Metro (100 Billion SAR project) as well as for another consortium for the bid to the phase II of the Al Haramain railway project in Saudi Arabiaincluding SNCF and Alstom;
- Represented his client in the merger between Emirates Global Islamic Bank co-owned by the client (52%) and operating in Pakistan with Al- Baraka Bank including swap of shares.
- Advised and negotiated with QNB (leading borrower) on behalf of his clientthe restructuring of a syndicated bank facility of and amount of 450 million Dollars with regard to real estate development project in Doha-Qatar;
- Advised and structured an extraterritorial real estate swap deal for an amount exceeding 1,2 Billion Saudi Riyals;
- Privatization of the cargo business and the MRO business of SAUDIA. Drafted, negotiated and finalized the consortium agreement and the structure of the Consortium; reviewed, advised and commented the contract with the employer and the lenders;
- Advised on a co-development of a multifunction real estate development in Riyadh of a total amount of 1,5 Billion US$;
- Advised on a Bahraini fund for the joint venture with external investors with the objective of purchasing, operating and managing a 280 units’ compound in Riyadh city-KSA;
- Assisted Reem Developers in the redrafting of new sets of SPAs, master community rules, the declaration and other legal issues pertaining to the development;
- Assisted Sorouh for the drafting of the SPAs and master community rules of the Saraya development in Abu Dhabi corniche;
- Participated in the set-up, the legal and financial structure (loans, financing by way of GDRs), and set up of communities; agreement on land allotment; master community declarations and rules of “Sannine Zenith Lebanon” a 2 Billion US Dollars real estate Project in Lebanon consisting in 3 villages and ski resorts;
- Assisted in cross-boarders acquisition and partnerships;
Ziad has contributed to articles regarding the real estate legislations in the UAE and he also participated as a lecturer to seminars and conferences in Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan and UAE where he lectured on the companies’ law and the corporate legal regimes in the UAE and Qatar, the governance as well as the Aviation law.
Ziad teaches in Paris-France at the University of Paris- Pantheon-ASSAS, to the students of the “Business law of the Arabic Countries” LLM the course related to the “Companies’ laws of the GCC countries”.

Managing Director
Infrastructure & Transportation Corporate & Institutional Clients Standard Chartered Bank
Jacob Berman

Managing Director
Infrastructure & Transportation Corporate & Institutional Clients Standard Chartered Bank
Jacob joined Standard Chartered Bank in May 2012 and is currently based in Dubai, covering transportation clients across Middle East, Africa and Asia. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, he was with Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong focusing on Transportation and Diversified Industrials
He has over 14 years of investment banking experience in Europe, Middle East and Asia including stints with Merrill Lynch , Morgan Stanley, ABG Sundal Collier and Lehman Brothers. Jacob has a Master of Science – Majors in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Stockholm School of Economics
Key transactions include:
- US$ 550m refinancing of Topaz Energy & Marine
- Structured finance transactions for numerous airlines, including Emirates, Etihad,
- Qatar Airways, AirAsia and MAS
- Structured finance transactions for maritime clients including UASC, Miclyn and ICTSI
- US$ 500m Sukuk bond for Garuda
- US$ 913m UK EF Sukuk for Emirates Airline
- US$ 75m equity investment by SCPE in Topaz Energy & Marine
- US$500m Sukuk bond for Flydubai
- US$ 490m sale of Jaya Holdings to Mermaid Marine
- US$ 350m High Yield Bond and Bridge Financing for Topaz Marine
- Financial advisory for Garuda Indonesia
- Rights issue for Tiger Airways
- RMB bond for Dalian Port
- Acquisition of Friede & Goldman by China Communications Construction Corp.
- IPO of China ITS Co Ltd
- USD 1.4bn Tianjin Port Restructuring
- COSCO’s USD 4.8bn acquisition of dry bulk shipping assets from its main shareholder
- Multiple financing and M&A transactions for China Merchants Group across the transportation sector
- Mermaid Maritime rights issue
- Asset injection of Titan Quanzhou Shipyard into Titan Petrochemicals
- Pre-IPO capital raising advisory for Greater China airline client
- Eni and Enel’s USD6bn acquisition of Russian oil and gas assets in the Yukos bankruptcy proceedings
- Sale of Welltec to Summit Partners
- Aborted potential acquisition by China Mobile of Milicom
- De Lage Landen’s acquisition of Telia Finans
- Coller Capital’s acquisition of Bure’s Nordic Capital fund stakes
- Sale of Jotex to PPR Group
- Sale of Respons to Eniro

Director
Tufton Oceanic (Middle East) Limited
Marcus Machin

Director
Tufton Oceanic (Middle East) Limited
Marcus Machin is a Law graduate of Cambridge University with senior shipping and project finance banking experience in London and Switzerland.
Resident in Dubai for 20 years, initially as the Finance Director for a major regional participant in the oil services and vessel owning sectors, prior to establishing arabCapital in 2000 and partnering with London based Tufton Oceanic Finance Group (‘TOFG’) in shipping and offshore sector finance and investment assignments.
Tufton Oceanic (Middle East) Limited (‘TOME’) a DIFC registered DFSA regulated asset manager, was established in 2006. TOME manages conventional and Shariah compliant funds invested in the marine sector on behalf of a number of GCC and international institutions. To date investments exceeding US$1,300.0m have been made by TOME whilst in aggregate TOFG manages in excess of US$2.0bn of assets, all invested in the international marine and offshore sectors.

Unit Head – Int’l Lending, Corporate Banking
Burgan Bank Group
Vasudev P. Amonker

Unit Head – Int’l Lending, Corporate Banking
Burgan Bank Group
Vasudev P Amonker – Senior banker with extensive experience and deep understanding in Corporate Banking, Project Finance, Syndications, Structured Finance, etc across sectors like Shipping, Oil & Gas, Power, Steel, etc. Financing covered diverse markets like the GCC, MENA, Turkey, Indian sub-continent & the Far East and enjoined travel in these geographies frequently.
Presently heading the International Lending Unit at Burgan Bank, a premier and dynamic commercial bank in Kuwait. His knowledge and expertise in “Shipping Finance” has seen Bank’s exposure to Shipping grow substantially after he took over as Head of International Lending Unit. Has arranged Structured and Syndication Financing to clients for acquiring large sized 14,000 VLCCs, rigs, etc apart from meeting their long term operational needs.”

CFO
Oman Shipping Company
Venugopal Venkatesh

CFO
Oman Shipping Company
Previously held positions:
1. Sr VP Zubair Corporation Oman
2. CFO OMan Oil CO
3. Sr Advisor Oman Oil Co
Total experience 42 years in Strategy, Finance and Accounting

Head of the Energy & Marine segment
National Bank of Fujairah
Bora Bariman

Head of the Energy & Marine segment
National Bank of Fujairah
Bora Bariman is Head of the Energy & Marine segment with National Bank of Fujairah. The remit of the team covers energy infrastructure, oil trading and bunkering, energy related marine finance. Previously he was an oil and gas banker in London with Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland. He started his career in finance with natural gas production and distribution companies in the US. He has been active in arranging project finance, reserve based lending, and structured commodity finance. Mr. Bariman received a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government where his work focused on finance and regulation of large scale infrastructure.