Conference Speakers 2015
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

Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah
CEO
Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC)
Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah

CEO
Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC)
Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah is currently the CEO of KOTC and has many years of senior leadership experience in the Oil sector. Prior to his current assignment, Sheikh Talal was the Managing Director (Government and Parliament Public & Media Relations) in KOTC’s parent organization, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, and the Chairman of KOTC’s Board of Directors. He also serves as a distinguished Chairman and Board Member in other oil sector companies in Kuwait.
As a leader, he has always placed great trust and faith in the inherent capabilities of his people. He has always encouraged the youth to explore and develop and reach to their maximum potential, while being a fully supportive leader.
Sheikh Talal is also quite well-known for his passionate championing of various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Kuwait. He firmly believes that sustainable development is a must for maintaining the health and meeting the needs of our community by living in the Earth’s ecological limits while at the same time, without compromising the needs of future generations.
As a leader he encourages and patronizes all youth activities, Scouting & Guides movement, sports ,body building. Sheikh Talal oversees administration several sporting bodies and professional institutes which encourage education and excellence among youth. <check about his role in PAYS>
He is a positive, proactive and action driven leader who is highly connected with all the oil sector employees and the people of Kuwait.

Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah
Non-Executive Director and
Vice Chairman
DP World
Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah

Non-Executive Director and
Vice Chairman
DP World
HE Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah is the Vice Chairman of global port operator DP World, in which he plays a pivotal role in the development of DP World, supporting both the Board and Company.
Mr Bin Thaniah also holds several other high-level positions, including Group CEO of Ports & Free Zone World, the holding company of DP World, Economic Zones World, and P&O Ferries, Vice Chairman of lstithmar World Holdings LLC and lstithmar World PJSC, and Non-Executive Director of Union Railway Company (Abu Dhabi). Mr Bin Thaniah was appointed as an independent non executive director of Emaar Properties PJSC in April 2012
Mr Bin Thaniah joined Dubai Ports in October 1981, and has extensive experience in global port operations. Up until 2001, Mr Bin Thaniah led Dubai Ports Authority (DPA), which operated Port Rashid and Jebel Aliterminal,the largest container facility between Europe and the Far East.
Mr Bin Thaniah is a regular participant and speaker at several annual conferences in Europe and
Asia. He is a committed, long-standi ng advocate of the benefits of improving port systems and global commercial supply chains.
Mr Bin Thaniah was awarded the “Personality of the Year” by Lloyd’s List in 2006. He holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration, and has completed extensive training in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Dr. Ali Obaid Al-Yabhouni
CEO – ADNATCO & NGSCO,
UAE Governor – OPEC, Chairman – UAESA.
Dr. Ali Obaid Al-Yabhouni

CEO – ADNATCO & NGSCO,
UAE Governor – OPEC, Chairman – UAESA.
Dr. Ali Obaid Al-Yabhouni has worked in the ADNOC Group of Companies since 1992 in a wide range of senior positions. From 1998-2007 he was Head of the Marketing Research and Analysis Department before being appointed Manager for Planning and Group Coordination in April 2007. In November 2007 he became General Manager of National Gas Shipping Company Ltd (NGSCO). From January 2009 to date he has held the position of Chief Executive Officer of both Abu Dhabi National Tanker Company (ADNATCO) and NGSCO.
He has been involved in OPEC affairs since 1999 and is currently UAE Governor for OPEC. He is also a Board Member of Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (TAKREER); Chairman of TAKREER Board Advisory Committee as well as Vice Chairman and Board Member of Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (EMARAT).
Dr. Al-Yabhouni is Chairman, UAE Shipping Association and Chairman of DNV GL Technical Meetings UAE as well as the Lloyd’s Register Middle East and Africa Advisory Technical Committee.
He holds a Doctorate of Laws from the University of Tasmania, an MBA from South Eastern University, Washington D.C. and BSc in Economics and Political Science from the University of Southern Indiana.
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Petros Doukas
Former Deputy Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs
Greece
Petros Doukas

Former Deputy Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs
Greece
Mr. Petros Doukas has a Ph.D. in Economics from New York University. He studied Economics and International Relations at George Washington University (Bachelor of Arts), Management and Fiscal Relations at Columbia (MBA) and Economics at New York University (MA and Ph.D. in Economics). From 1979 to 1985 he worked as an Economist and Currency Analyst for Citibank in New York, and also as Foreign Exchange Exposure Management Advisor, Foreign Exchange Dealer, and Money Market Dealer.In 1986 he took over as Citibank Investment Banking Country Head and Country Treasurer for Greece, and in 1990 also took over as Country Head for the Institutional and Corporate Banking sectors. From August 1992 to October 1993 he was Deputy Minister of Finance in the government of Konstantinos Mitsotakis, with the Public Debt and Public Assets among his responsibilities. In 1994 he returned to Citibank, and in 1996 he founded Capital Partners SA., which deals mainly in strategic partnerships and company takeovers and mergers. In March 2004 he was elected deputy for the Precinct of Attica and was appointed Deputy Minister for the Economy and Finance, Head of the General Accounting Office. His responsibilities included the formulation and implementation of the Budget, Central Government Debt & Operations, Government Security Auctions, Public Trusts, Loans and Bonds, the Public Corporation for Moveable Assets, Subsidy Programs and Management of Public Funds, the State Bursar’s and Payments Office (State Treasury), Fiscal Relations with the EU, Fiscal Validation of the Ministries, Prefectural Governments and Legal Entities under Public Statute and Civil Servants Pension Funds. In September 2007 he was re-elected MP for Attica and appointed Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy.

Khamis Juma Buamim
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

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

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.
Speakers & Panelists

Mohammed Al Muallem
Senior Vice President and Managing Director
DP World UAE Region
Mohammed Al Muallem

Senior Vice President and Managing Director
DP World UAE Region
With almost three decades of port terminal operations and management experience, Mohammed Al Muallem, the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of DP World UAE Region, has led the growth and development of the region’s most important port through a period of major expansions, defining and driving its strategic vision. Jebel Ali Port, the flagship of DP World has developed rapidly under his guidance and counts itself today amongst the top 10 ports in the world. In the last 7 years, the container throughput in UAE Region has doubled from 6.4 million TEUs in 2004 to 13.0 million in 2011.
In 2003, Al Muallem inspired port operations in the region, when he employed the use of the Quad Lift Gantry, a gantry crane capable of lifting four 20 feet containers or two 40 feet containers in one single lift, a concept never before seen in the world.
Al Muallem joined Port Rashid in 1983 and moved rapidly through various operational and management roles, before overseeing the UAE Region of DP World in September 2005. Al Muallem was appointed Chairman of the Executive Merging Team of Dubai Ports Authority, Dubai Customs and the Free Zone in 2000 and in May 2004, Executive Coordinator for the Terminal 2 development at Jebel Ali Port.
Mohammed Al Muallem holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering Degree from the University of Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. and has completed extensive training in U.K. at the University of Manchester, Cranfield College and British Airways obtaining qualifications in Cost & Budgetary Control, Planning Maintenance, Computer Systems and Condition Based Maintenance.

Ahmed Essa Hareb Al Falahi
CEO
Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM)
Ahmed Essa Hareb Al Falahi

CEO
Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM)
Since 2006, Ahmed Essa Hareb AlFalahi has been the CEO of Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), considered one of the world’s most modern product and chemical tanker fleet operators. For over nine years, he has consistently and successfully steered the company into becoming a well-established and leading independent commercial product tanker operator in the Middle East.
Prior to joining GEM, AlFalahi played a key management role in Etisalat, a UAE-based telecom giant & Fortune 500 company. Having completed his studies from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a double major in Finance and General Business, Al Falahi specialised in mergers and acquisitions at Etisalat for eight years.
AlFalahi represents the UAE in the council of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO). He is also a board member of the UAE Shipping Association and has been selected to be part of the Maritime Advisory Council established by Dubai Maritime City Authority.
GEM is a joint venture partnership between Dubai’s Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), the Oman Oil Company (OOC) and Thales of France under the UAE Offsets program.

Jørn Hinge
President & CEO
United Arab Shipping Company
Jørn Hinge

President & CEO
United Arab Shipping Company
Jørn joined UASC in 1994 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2009. He also serves as Chairman/Director on several UASC subsidiaries.
Over the past few years, Jørn led UASC’s comprehensive restructuring and transformation program leading to remarkable improvements in efficiency, an enhanced network, and multiple new service offerings. He currently oversees UASC’s ambitious newbuilding program that includes seventeen ultra-large container vessels that are among the largest and most environmentally friendly in the world.
Over the years, Jørn has led the efforts to establish and develop alliances and partnerships most recently culminating in the formation of the Ocean Three alliance, connecting UASC with leading liner shipping companies CMA CGM and China Shipping Container Lines. With the addition of the new cooperation agreement with Hamburg Süd, Jørn continues to lead UASC’s progress as an emerging global carrier.
Prior to joining UASC, Jørn worked with the Denmark-based East Asiatic Company (EAC) from 1966–1994 in various managerial positions in EAC branches and affiliated companies in South America, North America and Europe.
A recognized and respected industry figure, Jørn has over 37 years of experience in shipping, 21 years of which have been spent with UASC based in the Middle East. Under Jørn’s leadership, UASC has received several prestigious awards in recent years. These include the Seatrade Global Performer 2014 awarded by HRH the Princess Royal in Guildhall, City of London, and induction to the International Maritime Hall of Fame 2014 in New York. He also received personally the Seatrade Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 for his over twenty years of stewardship of UASC.

Andre Toet
CEO
SOHAR Port and Freezone
Andre Toet

CEO
SOHAR Port and Freezone
André G.F. Toet, Dutch, born in 1963, The Hague.
After leaving the Maritime Institute ‘Willem Barentz’ (higher technical education level) Andre joined Nedlloyd Lines in 1986, where he worked for a number of years on the bridge as mate and nautical officer.
After his sailing career he worked for several Nedlloyd Group subsidiaries in several countries in senior positions – Netherlands, Sudan, Thailand and Hong Kong. After the merger of P&O Group and Nedlloyd Lines he became in 2000 Managing Director of P&O Nedlloyd Europe. Subsequently after the take-over by Maersk became CEO of Maersk Central Europe. In 2008 he was appointed as COO of the Port of Rotterdam.
As well as his role as CEO of Sohar Industrial Port Company, he also holds the position of Non-Executive Director of Electronic Shipping Solutions (ESS) Malta.
Andre Toet is married, working and living in Oman, having two daughters (1989, 1992).

Jacob Berman
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

Rajiv Agarwal
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.

Vasudev P. Amonker
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.”

Tarik Al Junaidi
Deputy CEO
Oman Shipping Company S.A.O.C
Tarik Al Junaidi

Deputy CEO
Oman Shipping Company S.A.O.C
Tarik Al Junaidi joined OSC in 2005 and before he was promoted to Deputy CEO and then Acting CEO, he was the Head of Commercial, including Business Development. Prior to joining OSC, he worked for HSBC, in Financial Planning and Global Enterprise looking after Sales and Marketing. In terms of education, he recently completed an Executive MBA in Shipping, Finance, and Offshore from BI Management School in Norway and Nantong Technical University in Singapore. Prior to this, in 2004, he completed an MBA from The University of Western Australia, after graduating from The Florida Atlantic University, USA with a BSc. in International Business & Marketing.

Jesper Kjaedegaard
Partner
Mercator International
Jesper Kjaedegaard

Partner
Mercator International
Jesper Kjaedegaard 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.Moller Group’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 APM Terminals. 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, Mr Kjaedegaard 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.

Christopher J. Thomas
Chief Executive Officer
Gulf Middle East Shipping LLC.
Christopher J. Thomas

Chief Executive Officer
Gulf Middle East Shipping LLC.
CAREER OVERVIEW
• 33 years of experience in the shipping and banking industries
• 14 years working in the City of London
• 16 years working in Athens
• 12 years US capital markets experience
• 3 successful IPO’s as Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Financial Officer of 3 US listed shipping companies (Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd., DryShips Inc. and Paragon Shipping Inc.)
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MAJOR PROJECTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Acquisition of 50% in the Danish stock listed shipping company, Torm, by Excel Maritime Carriers Inc. in 2001. Awarded the Marine Money M&A deal of the Year.
• First IPO for a Greek Shipping company, Top Ships (ex-Top Tankers) in 2004.
• DryShips Inc. IPO in 2005. The IPO was upsized to double the initial offering due to a 60x over subscription. Awarded the Marine Money IPO of the Year.
• Largest Rule 144a private equity offering for a Greek shipping company of $135 million for Paragon Shipping in. in November 2006. The offering still remains the largest private placement of equity to a private Greek shipping company. Awarded the Marine Money Private Equity Deal of the Year.
• Successful IPO during August 2007, Paragon Shipping Inc. The IPO was oversubscribed and priced within the range, despite pricing taking place during the collapse of Bear Stearns and the beginning of the US financial crisis.
• In-depth knowledge of the US and Far East capital markets and relationships with a network of US and European institutional investors.
• Extensive network relationships with most European, US and Far Eastern banks.
• Developed and implemented comprehensive accounting, finance and reporting systems with each of the above mentioned shipping companies.

Samir Sharma
Vice President – Project Finance
United Arab Shipping Company
Samir Sharma

Vice President – Project Finance
United Arab Shipping Company
Samir Sharma joined UASC in 2008 bringing more than 21 years of extensive knowledge and experience in Shipping and Transportation sector with specific focus areas of Corporate and Project Finance including Business Development.
Mr. Sharma is leading the Project Finance department and over the past years has succeeded in negotiating and managing several transactions in multiple formats such as syndicated transactions, clubs and bilateral in structured finance including tax structures. These have been used to fund capital expenditure of UASC at both asset and at corporate level.
Prior to joining UASC, Mr. Sharma was the head of Corporate Finance at India’s largest private sector shipping company Great Eastern Shipping. During his tenure in India, he has facilitated to raise significant debt capital from both local and international markets some of them through innovative structures.
After that, he shifted to KC Maritime, as Head of Middle East and Indian Subcontinent for developing business in the niche area of Transloaders, Cement Self unloaders, Furthermore, Mr. Sharma worked with Cipher Plexus Capital Advisors, an investment banking boutique in the private equity space advising clients with a specific focus in the Transportation sector helping them to raise equity.

Bobby Varghese
Vice President-Financial Control
Abu Dhabi Ports
Bobby Varghese

Vice President-Financial Control
Abu Dhabi Ports
Vice President-Financial Control, Bobby Varghese, is responsible for the Finance and Accounting function for Abu Dhabi Ports and its subsidiaries since November 2014, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He reports to the Chief Financial Officer of the company.
He has over 17 years of experience in the Shipping, Logistics and Ports industry. The major part of his core experience has been in Supply chain and freight forwarding business, while working for the DHL Exel supply chain solutions group and AP Moller Maersk group in India and the Middle East.
Until August 2014, he was the CFO of Ports Development company, the company which is developing King Abdullah Port (KAP), located in the King Abdullah Economic city, near Jeddah, KSA.
Prior to this, he was the CFO of The Port of Salalah, based in Salalah, Oman. Port of Salalah is a world class transshipment hub in the West Central Asia Region. Situated right at the major East-West shipping lanes, Salalah enjoys an attractive strategic location in the heart of the Indian Ocean Rim and caters to some of the world’s largest ocean going vessels.
Prior to this assignment, he worked as the CFO of APM Terminals Mumbai (APMT) based in Mumbai, India. APMT Mumbai is the largest container terminal in India handling close to 2 Million TEUs annually.
Bobby is a Chartered Accountant (India) and a Certified Public Accountant (USA). He is also a Certified Green Belt, Lean Six Sigma.

Richard Briggs
Executive Partner
Hadef & Partners
Richard Briggs

Executive Partner
Hadef & Partners
Richard is a recognised leader in commercial dispute resolution in the UAE and has practiced contentious business law in the UAE for most of his career. His areas of specialisation are in the litigation and arbitration fields, particularly with reference to maritime, trade and insurance law in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East area.
Prior to working at Hadef, Richard trained with Clifford Chance in London and Dubai, later joining another UAE law firm as a partner. He graduated from the University of Warwick (LLB) and the College of Law, Guildford (United Kingdom).
Richard is a member of the Law Society and a Practicing Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He is also a member of the International Bar Association and World Jurist Association.
Richard also the ICC FraudNet member for the UAE, Middle East Regional Coordinator for the Inter-Pacific Bar Association and former Vice Chair of the IBA Maritime Committee.

Amir H. Mosadeghi
Deputy CEO
Islamic P & I Club
Amir H. Mosadeghi

Deputy CEO
Islamic P & I Club

Nijoe Joseph
Partner
Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP
Nijoe Joseph

Partner
Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP
Nijoe Joseph is a finance partner, specialising in transportation (maritime and aviation) finance.
Most of Nijoe’s work for clients has focused on the sectors of ship and aircraft financings, logistics and distribution, banking and urban transportation related transactions. He advises international and local companies including family businesses on corporate, commercial, trade and transportation (aviation and maritime) laws in the United Arab Emirates, the GCC and India.
Nijoe has frequently advised clients on a number of high profile financings involving maritime finance transactions including advising quasi-governmental organisations on the construction and financing of marine and offshore vessels, rigs and other specialised maritime assets on transaction amounting to well over US$ 1 Billion.
He has qualified in both India and UAE law and has been practising law in the UAE since 2005