Nick Brown

Brand & Communications Director, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore

Educated in Scotland – and a graduate of Edinburgh University, Nick started his shipping career in 1991 with the Hong Kong headquartered Wallem Group, working in Asia in shipbroking, ship agency, ship operating, investment and investor relations roles. He subsequently developed a career in public relations and public affairs promoting and protecting the interests of shipping industry stakeholders. An initial focus on reputation, crisis communications and issues management with MTI Network in London working for shipowners and shipmanagers broadened into branding, PR and marcomms. Since 2007 he has worked in the world of marine classification, leading brand, communications and external relations teams to help drive and support safety and sustainability in global shipping.

About Bureau Veritas

At Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, we share a drive to shape a better maritime world for future generations. Pioneering the safety and performance of new technologies since 1828, Bureau Veritas is one of the world’s leading ship classification societies and offshore safety and verification bodies, with a global network to support clients worldwide.

At BV we understand the challenges that clients face in designing, building and operating truly sustainable businesses. BV is by their side; supporting them with practical advice, tools and technology to run safe, sustainable and high performing businesses.

Bureau Veritas is known for being responsive and building great relationships with our clients; for being flexible without compromise. And because BV Marine & Offshore is part of the Bureau Veritas Group, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification services, we have a truly global outlook, bringing a broader understanding of the global supply chain and blue economy.

Julien Boulland

Global market leader for sustainable shipping, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore

Julien Boulland is Global market leader for sustainable shipping within Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, head-office commercial team.

Julien began his career at Bureau Veritas in 2006 as a naval architect. He has been working for the past ten years in Sıngapore serving the South-East Asia region, with the last role specializing in the LNG market as subject matter expert in gas technologies for shipping (LNG as as cargo and LNG as fuel). He was most recently relocated to Paris head-office in the Gas expertise team within Ship Newbuilding management as gas principal expert. He is now within the commercial department, covering Sustainable shipping (next generation of fuels : hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, and new technologies to hep decarbonize shipping : carbon capture, wind-assistance, air lubrication system, design optimization,.).

Julien holds an MSc in Maritime Engineering Science from the University of Southampton and is a graduate from the Ecole des Mines de Nancy, France.

About Bureau Veritas

At Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, we share a drive to shape a better maritime world for future generations. Pioneering the safety and performance of new technologies since 1828, Bureau Veritas is one of the world’s leading ship classification societies and offshore safety and verification bodies, with a global network to support clients worldwide.

At BV we understand the challenges that clients face in designing, building and operating truly sustainable businesses. BV is by their side; supporting them with practical advice, tools and technology to run safe, sustainable and high performing businesses.

Bureau Veritas is known for being responsive and building great relationships with our clients; for being flexible without compromise. And because BV Marine & Offshore is part of the Bureau Veritas Group, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification services, we have a truly global outlook, bringing a broader understanding of the global supply chain and blue economy.

Jogchum Bruinsma

COO, Nedstack. Chair of ZESTAs

Jogchum Bruinsma is Chief Commercial Officer at Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology. Jogchum holds a Master’s degree in Control Systems Engineering. During his career Jogchum has built over 15 years of experience in innovative maritime technology. A journey he started in 2007 while working on the hydrogen fuel cell propelled tourist boat NemoH2 at Alewijnse. During his further career Jogchum occupied a variety of senior engineering positions at Boskalis and Huisman Etech Experts. Today, he is the Chair of the Zero Emission Shipping Technology Association and until recently roadmap leader for Waterborne applications at Hydrogen Europe.

John Butler

Global Lead – Energy Transformation at Global Maritime

John is an accomplished business manager with over 20 years’ experience in maritime, oil and gas and now energy transformation industries. A Chartered Mechanical Engineer and a Fellow of the IMarEST, John is an Elected Council Member of the IMarEST. He started his career in the merchant navy working on-board Chemical Tankers. Subsequently he has held numerous senior leadership roles within major onshore and offshore engineering companies, including Jacobs Engineering, TechnipFMC and Wood.

John now holds the role of Global Lead – Energy Transformation at Global Maritime. Where he is responsible for the Strategy and Development of new and existing business streams.

Jorulf Nergard

Vice President Business Development, ABB

Management team in ABB’s business division Marine and Ports – LBU Norway; Vice President Market Development. Ship solutions are in a big technology shift, to achieve the global goal for the carbon emission reduction, and ABB is prepared with the solutions.

History and background:

Jorulf Nergard has been holding a various positions in ABB since 1987 after graduating in maritime system engineering. He has worked with switchboard manufacturing, site management, engineering for offshore and Marine systems.
He has also been working as project manager in delivery projects, before various management positions in ABB Marines global organization for project and sales.

Jillian Evanko

CEO of Chart Industries, Inc.

Jillian (Jill) Evanko is President and Chief Executive Officer of Chart Industries, Inc. (NYSE: GTLS), serving in this capacity since June of 2018. Ms. Evanko joined Chart in February of 2017 as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Chart, Jill was the Chief Financial Officer of Truck-Lite Co., LLC as well as having held multiple operational and financial executive positions at Dover Corporation (NYSE: DOV) and its subsidiaries. Prior to joining Dover in 2004, Ms. Evanko held financial and operational roles at Arthur Andersen, LLP, Honeywell Corporation and Sony Corporation. In addition to serving on Chart’s Board of Directors, Ms. Evanko also serves as an independent director of the Board of Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH).

Jill received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from La Salle University. She is the winner of the 2020 ExxonMobil Power Play Rainmaker award, the 2020 S&P Global Platts Energy Award for Chief Trailblazer (and 2021 Chief Trailblazer finalist), and the World LNG Executive of the Year 2020. She was named a 2022 and 2023 Hydrogen Economist Women in Hydrogen 50 (Top 10 for Projects and Partnerships), Institutional Investor All-America Executive Team 2022 #3 Best Mid-Cap CEO Winner, Hart Energy’s 25 Influential Women in Energy (2021) and a 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southeast Region.

Jill also serves on the non-profit Board of Directors of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). She serves on the National Petroleum Council as well.

Alasdair Carlaw

Commercial Leader – Energy (EMEA) & Marine (Global), Howden/Chart Industries Inc.

Alasdair Carlaw has worked in the Maritime sector since 2010 , holding influential roles within Classification Society, Maritime Safety, Marine Products & Port Agency. This portfolio of roles has given Alasdair a very wide appreciation of the challenges faced by the maritime sector, with his focus being on developing solutions to improve technical and commercial efficiency and most importantly enhance vessel and crew safety. His extensive client contact base, primarily with vessel Owners & Managers enables Alasdair to reach the relevant C-Suite contacts to develop solutions. Alasdair now leads the global Marine business segments within Chart Industries; Chart’s expertise covers cryogenic LNG, liquid hydrogen and carbon capture applications, on-board ship fuel gas supply systems, bunkering stations and technology fundamental to the transition to cleaner shipping through the use of LNG and hydrogen as marine fuels. With the acquisition of Howden, focus widens to rotating equipment, offering Air Lubrication technology to reduce vessel emissions, Exhaust Gas blowers to reduce NOx and fans to ensure safe environments and enablement of on-board processes.

Erik Langeteig

Vice President – Global Specialty Markets at Chart Industries, Inc

With two decades of experience in the energy, aerospace, and clean technology industries, Erik is a passionate and strategic leader who thrives on developing and delivering innovative and value-creating solutions for global specialty markets and emerging technologies. As a Vice President at Chart Industries, Inc., Erik oversees the commercial teams for a diverse portfolio of products and applications, ranging from liquid hydrogen fuel systems and gas cooled nuclear reactors to water remediation, rocket propellant handling, and methane emission elimination technologies.

Holding an Executive MBA from Washington University and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University, Erik is driven to advancing clean energy, clean water, clean transportation, and clean food. Leveraging Chart’s position as a leading provider of gas processing equipment and systems to enable the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future. In the Marine segment that translates to solutions focused on fuel efficiency through air lubrication and optimized exhaust gas recirculation systems, in addition to onboard liquid hydrogen fuel systems and all of the upstream infrastructure.

Johan Burgren

Business Manager, PowerCell Sweden AB. Vice Chair of ZESTAs

Johan is working on a day-to-day basis with business development in the maritime industry where he implements true zero emission technologies. With a broad maritime experience and knowledge ranging from energy transition to clean technology Johan is contributing to the work of ZESTAs at all levels. Further, he believes in though leadership and tangible actions and measures to create disruption in the established marine industry.

Anna Lenaerts

Marketing director hydrogen fuel for maritime at Air Liquide.

Anna Lenaerts has over 15 years of experience in the Energy sector. Since 2021 she is the Marketing and Business Support Director at the Air Liquide World Business Line Hydrogen Energy, based at the head office in Paris. She is working on the decarbonisation of the mobility sector, specifically of the maritime segment. Anna’s focus is on the hydrogen fuel market activation by providing gaseous and liquid hydrogen production and distribution solutions in different clusters all over the world.

Before joining Air Liquide, Anna was the Managing Director (South of Europe) at Allego, a company investing in and operating charging infrastructure for battery electric road mobility. The first 10 years of her career, she worked at Shell as a hands-on Oil and Gas commissioning engineer of large production projects around the globe.

Anna graduated in 2006 with a Masters Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Delft University of Technology and completed in 2018 an Executive MBA at HEC Paris. She is married and has three children.

Jori Poikola

Sales Director at NAPA Shipping Solutions business line

Jori Poikola, Sales Director at NAPA Shipping Solutions business line owns almost two decades of experience from maritime and shipping industry working for different OEM’s. Throughout his career Mr. Poikola has been focusing on digitalizing the industry in various countries like China, Singapore and his native Finland, and roles ranging from engineering, business development to sales management. He holds a Msc. in Automation and System technology as well as EMBA, both from Aalto University, Helsinki Finland.

Li Zhi

CEO & founder of Dealfeng

Mr. Li Zhi, the CEO and founder of Dealfeng New Energy Technology Ltd, has more than decade of working experience in shipping industry. He has focused on wind assisted propulsion technology for many years, committed to help accelerate the decarbonisation process for global shipping industry.

John Roger Nesje

Sales Director at SEAM

John Roger Nesje is an experienced senior manager with more than 20 years within the maritime industry.
His early experience is from the Vik-Sandvik Group (Ship Design) as a Project Manager and Power System Designer.
Subsequently he joined the company Scandinavian Electric Systems, as a co-owner, and was a key in developing the company, technology and organisation, from a handful of people to a significant global player. This company was acquired by Rolls-Royce in 2008.
He stayed with Rolls-Royce for close to 10 years, in various senior positions. The latest positions were as Site Director for the Rolls-Royce Marine Godvik site as well as the Global Vice President Systems and Electrical, Automation & Control Sales, Rolls-Royce Marine.
Late 2017 he took the position as CEO, co-founder and co-owner within Scandinavian Reach Technologies, and built up the company, organisation and technology, together with the other owners, employees and stakeholders, to a global player and front runner in digitizing the maritime industry.
Present position is as Sales Director within SEAM, aiming to bring to the maritime world the latest technology for optimalization and for the most efficient maritime operations, with insight, experience and know-how.

Michael Parker

Global Shipping, Logistics & Offshore at Citi Group and Chair of Poseidon Principles

Michael Parker was born in Scotland in 1956 and has an M.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Magdalen College, Oxford University, graduating in 1977. In 1996 he attended the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University Palo Alto.

Michael joined Citibank N.A. in London in September 1977. In August 2019, he was appointed Chairman of Citi’s Global Shipping, Logistics and Offshore business having been Global Industry Head since 1997. He is also Vice Chairman of Corporate & Investment Banking (EMEA) and Chairman Corporate Banking EMEA.

During his 37 years involvement with shipping finance he has been a regular conference chairman, speaker or panellist. Under his leadership Citi receives recognised industry awards across the different areas of shipping finance and he was named Marine Money’s Dealmaker of the Year in 2012. In March 2015 in New York : Capital Link Leadership Award “in recognition of Michael Parker’s unique and extensive contribution to the shipping industry”. He chaired the London Committee of Intercargo for a number of years and is involved in UK maritime matters as they pertain to finance and served on the Expert Panel advising the UK Department for Transport on the UK 2050 Maritime Strategy. He has served on the Board of Advisors for London International Shipping in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. In 2017 he was appointed to the Board of The Global Maritime Forum. He was Chairman of the drafting Committee of the Poseidon Principles launched in New York June 2019 and elected first Chairman of the Poseidon Principles Association in 2020 and re-elected for a second 2 year term in April 2022. Serves currently on the LISW 2023 Advisory Board.

Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld

leading Sustainability in IKEA Supply Chain Operations, Inter IKEA Group

Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld is a passionate change agent to make sustainability a true enabler for successful business. Since 2016 she leads sustainability in Supply Chain Operations, based in Switzerland, with a strong focus on reaching ambitious climate targets for global transportation and logistics. She holds a Master of Law from Lund University and a Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy from the international Institute of Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University. Throughout her professional life she has worked in the area of sustainability within various business sectors and management consultancies.

Marc Ostwald

Chief Economist & Global Strategist, ADM Investor Services International

Analysing and forecasting the impact of macro / microeconomic trends on a broad range of asset classes, where necessary challenging market psychology and consensus views. The joy of working as a market economist is, and has always been the constant need to research and learn about the changing landscape of the way that the world works, going far beyond the limited scope of economics and financial markets; be that in respect of how globalization and technology has and is transforming nearly all aspects of communication, culture, energy and how we interact with the environment on all levels. The desire is to enable and facilitate critical & lateral thinking perspectives on global economic, political and asset market trends; to convey these ideas enthusiastically in terms that are accessible and thought provoking. Having spent much of his childhood in Libya and Iran, Marc has a particular interest in the Middle East, is passionate about music of all genres; university guest lecturer; mentor; a very regular conference speaker and guest on TV & Radio, and widely quoted in the media.

Cristina Aleixendri

COO and Co-founder, bound4blue

Cristina, COO and co-founder of bound4blue, holds a BSc. & MSc. in Aeronautical Engineering and an Executive MBA from IESE Business School. She has also attended several business programs at the University of Cambridge, ESADE Business School and Singularity University. Cristina has participated in more than 10 national and European projects, being the inventor of more than 5 patents in the field of wind-assisted propulsion systems and its various applications (such as hydrogen generation). Due to her endeavour, she has received several awards, such as being recognized this year by Nor-Shipping with the Young Entrepreneur Award.

Danielle Southcott

Founder, CEO Veer Group

Founder of Veer Group and the award-winning SAILCARGO INC., Danielle was named by the Royal Institute of Naval Architects as one of the most influential women of the past century, and was listed by The Ocean Opportunity Lab as an inspirational female founder to watch in Ocean & Energy.

Originally from the Great Lakes of Canada, Danielle began sailing square-rig tall ships at age 13. A graduate of the ‘’Enkhuizer’’ nautical college, she learned Dutch to graduate. She obtained her 200T sail-endorsed masters ticket at the age of 21, which empowered her to captain the flagship of Barbados, cargo schooner Ruth. Danielle wrote and implemented the successful beach-launch of Ruth, which was the largest ship built in the history of the country.

She is co-founder of the Costa Rican non-profit AstilleroVerde, which plants thousands of trees and creates jobs in a vulnerable coastal community. Each year Veer Group sponsors a young lady to sail on the tallship St. Lawrence II – a ‘’thank you’’ to the Canadian ship that first inspired her.

William Fairclough

Managing Director at Wah Kwong Maritime Transport

William graduated from Edinburgh University in 2000 and subsequently worked for Credit Suisse prior to joining Clarksons as a shipbroker. He relocated to Clarkson Asia in Hong Kong in 2002 where he worked in various roles in chartering, sale and purchase and for the group’s in-house shipowning and logistics arm. In 2006, William left Clarksons to become a co-founder and director of Mandarin Shipping Limited. William initially worked with Wah Kwong as a consultant and in 2016 was promoted to the board and appointed Chief Commercial Officer before taking on the role of Managing Director in 2019.

Carleen Lyden Walker

CEO & co-founder of NAMEPA

Carleen Lyden Walker is the Co-Founder and CEO of NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) leveraging off her experience as a marketing and communications professional in the commercial maritime industry with over 40 years of experience. She specializes in identifying, developing, and implementing strategic marketing and communications programs that increase the visibility and effectiveness of NAMEPA as well as the development of educational resources promoting marine environment protection. She works to develop strategic alliances between industry, regulators, conservation groups and educators to “Save the Seas”.

In 2015, Ms. Walker was appointed a Goodwill Maritime Ambassador by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). She is a member of WISTA (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association), the Connecticut Maritime Association, the Marine Society of the City of New York, WIMAC (Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean) and is a Past-President of the Propeller Club Chapter of the Port of NY/NJ. She was also elected to the Board of Trustees of the New Era Academy Transportation Technologies Program in Baltimore, is a trustee of the US Friends of the World Maritime University and is consistently listed among the top 100 women in maritime globally.

Ms. Walker is also Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Marketing & Communications, Chief Evolution Officer for SHIPPINGInsight, and the Co-Founder of the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage. In 2010, she was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the United States Coast Guard and in 2014 a Public Service Commendation for her work on World Maritime Day and AMVER, respectively. In March of this year, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Coast Guard for her work with both NAMEPA and SHIPPINGINSIGHT.

Ms. Walker graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in Political Science and History (minor in Economics) and studied Accounting at Cornell School of Business Administration. She is a trained facilitator and media trainer and held a USCG Captain’s license.

Oscar Felix

Sales Manager, Future Proof Shipping

Hailing from the shipping capital of Oslo, a passion for the sea and related activities was a given. This passion started from an early age and was further honed with a degree in maritime business from the Solent University of Southampton, and a career as ship broker in the offshore support vessel industry.

Wanting to be part of the solution rather than the problem, Oscar made the change from oil and gas to sustainable shipping after finishing an MBA from RSM Erasmus Rotterdam. Now proudly employed as Sales Manager in Future Proof Shipping, a company focusing on no compromise solutions for the shipping industry. FPS has recently had success launching the world’s first Zero Emission hydrogen barge in the Dutch inland market, the H2 Barge 1, in cooperation with Nike.

The ambitions don’t stop there. Future Proof Shipping has plans to grow their Zero Emission fleet in both the inland as well as oceangoing markets. Beyond owning and operating Zero Emission vessel themselves, FPS also helps other ship owners make their ships green and sustainable through their consultancy service.

Ivan Ostvik

CEO LH2 Shipping – providing safe and sustainable shipping

Since 2015, Oestvik has been developing “green” ship projects in the Norwegian maritime cluster with a strong focus on implementing sustainable, safe, reliable zero-emission energy technology. He has been project manager for developing, building, certifying and setting world’s first LH2-driven ship, Norled’s M/F Hydra, into operation (2017-2023). From 2023, he is focusing on developing and building various LH2-fuelled ship types for operation in North Europe as CEO/Founder of LH2 Shipping. Previously he worked for NorWind 2006-2015 developing, building and installing jacket foundations for offshore wind turbines and LMG Marin 1995-2006 designing car ferries, fast ferries and offshore vessels. He graduated naval architect at University of Strathclyde (1995) where he also has a PhD in risk-based design (2000).

Jennie Folkunger

Environmental Manager, Port of Trelleborg

Jennie Folkunger works as the Environmental Manager at the Port of Trelleborg, Sweden, Sweden’s second largest port, with high environmental ambitions across the board, but especially when it comes to emissions reductions.
Jennie holds a Masters of Laws specializing in environmental law and has also studied biology, ecology, ecotoxicology and chemistry. She has over ten years experience from local and regional governance in Sweden with a focus on marine environmental and port related issues. During her time at the World Maritime University Jennie conducted research within the field of international maritime environmental law especially relating to ballast water and invasive species in the Arctic.

Ryan Reilly

Sales & Business Development Manager at MJR Power & Automation

Richard Hixson

Co-founder HealthCare Ocean

Dr Richard Hixson FRCA FFICM is a Consultant in Critical Care Medicine, Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Exeter; NHS England Clinical Entrepreneur; member of NHS England’s Sustainable Procurement Forum, the UK Ocean Decade Committee and the Minderoo–Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health. Richard co-founded Healthcare Ocean as his main interest is Global Goal 14, Life Below Water and how the anthropogenic impacts from container shipping and novel entities such as plastic and pharmaceutical pollution adversely affected the marine environment and human health.

Healthcare Ocean works to ensure oceans, coasts and inland waterways are included in healthcare sustainability planning; advocating, collaborating, and educating; developing actions which can be delivered by individuals, healthcare providers and supplier industries. Healthcare Ocean believes healthy natural systems including oceans offer the planet and its inhabitants the best solution to the climate, pollution and nature emergency and will improve the health and wellbeing of all global citizens.

Ben Medland

CEO of DRIFT Energy Ltd

Ben Medland is the founder and CEO of DRIFT Energy Ltd, which is creating a new class of renewable energy. He has 17 years of experience working at C-suite levels as a management consultant at Accenture, holds a Masters in Systems Engineering from Loughborough University and Applied Analytics from Northwestern University. His business, DRIFT, is aiming to be better than Zero Emissions. Harnessing the power of the Oceans to create renewable energy and deliver it to ports anywhere in the globe. He is an advocate of renewable energy, clean marine and moving fast to make a meaningful contribution to the energy transition.

Sarah Arntz

COO of Wattlab

Sarah Arntz is former COO of Wattlab and will soon start as business manager Energy Transition at the Port of Rotterdam. She holds a Masters in Strategic Product Design from Delft University of Technology’s Industrial Engineering faculty, where she developed a strong foundation in project development and innovation. During her time at Wattlab, she took the lead in creating ‘solarhatches’: innovative solar power and energy storage solutions for bulk carriers, providing clean onboard energy while eliminating the need for fuel-consuming generators. Now, as she transitions to her position at the Port of Rotterdam, she remains committed and enthousiastic to accelerate the shipping industry’s energy transition.

Steven Lua

CEO, Unitrove Group

James Bradford

Chief Technology Officer, North Star

James Bradford is Chief Technology Officer at North Star, the UK’s leading offshore infrastructure support vessel operator. He leads on the company’s ESG and decarbonisation strategies and delivering a technological roadmap to drive performance and innovation investments as the firm progresses towards its fleet decarbonisation target of 2040.

James has more than 30 years’ strategic and operational experience in the maritime sector. He previously held Global Head of Technical at ship management specialist V. Group, playing a key role in the company’s innovation agenda which also redefined the industry’s fleet cell model for technical management.

Other significant tenures include almost five years as General Manager for North West Europe at Gulf Marine Services before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer in the United Arab Emirates. He was also GM for operations at marine transportation company GulfMark for eight years, and at James Fisher for eight years, latterly as Technical Director responsible for its tanker, offshore, and nuclear fuel fleets.

He also has significant seagoing experience. As a Chief Engineer in his early career, he achieved Class I Unlimited certification, and project managed the ship construction team on a 16 vessel build over a two-year period.

Jacqueline Chao

Sustainability Director at Wah Kwong

Jacqueline graduated with an MA in Economics from St. John’s College, Cambridge and spent her early career in the London investment banking sector, initially in structured products on the capital markets trading floor before taking on corporate responsibilities such as divisional Chief Administrative Officer and key roles on governance committees. Following a planned career break, Jacqueline re-entered the workplace as Chief Operating Officer for the European Leveraged Finance Association before being appointed as Wah Kwong’s Sustainability Director.

Michael Adams

Founder & CEO, Ocean Assets

Stuart MacDonald

Managing Partner at Bride Valley

Stuart MacDonald’s interest in zero emissions shipping stems from moderating a panel, about mobilising finance to support new technologies, at the 2021 ZESTA conference in Glasgow. He is Managing Partner at Bride Valley Partners, a corporate finance firm focussed on alternative investments and bankable technologies. He is also Chairman of Aaro Capital, a DLT/ Cryptoassets investment firm and Planit Holdings, a UK financial services acquisition vehicle. With over 30 years’ experience of working across the world, his special expertise is in capital raising, corporate strategy and truly innovative thinking. Previously, he was Director of Hedge Funds at Henderson Global Investors and worked in a senior capacity at firms like Aquila Capital, West Merchant Bank and Buchanan Partners, winning several industry awards. He often Chairs leading investment conferences and presents the award-winning alternative investments and technology radio show, the Naked Short Club on London’s Resonance FM, on which ZESTA has featured. For many years, Stuart was a Visiting Lecturer at London University and he serves on the Trustee or Advisory Boards of several Charities, Community and Arts organisations.

Frederic Bouthillier

Head of Shipping at Vertis Environmental Finance (STX Group)

Combining more than 25 years of experience in the shipping industry worldwide, Frederic has worked as Chartering/Commercial Manager for important industry players and is also a founding member of the Antwerp Chartering Club. Frederic hands-on experience within the industry placed him in a privileged position to understand the challenges faced by shipowners and operators when it comes to environmental legislation. As Head of Shipping for Vertis Environmental Finance, Frederic has helped multiple stakeholders to prepare for environmental compliance under the EU ETS as well as to set up voluntary emission reduction and energy efficiency programs to tackle their emissions.

Nishatabbas Rehmatulla

Principal Research Fellow at the University College London (UCL) Energy Institute

Dr Nishatabbas Rehmatulla is a Principal Research Fellow at the University College London (UCL) Energy Institute, where he has established and leads the social sciences research component of the world-leading multi-disciplinary shipping research group focused on the decarbonisation of shipping. His research focuses on the understanding of barriers to decarbonisation in the shipping sector and exploring solutions, both public and private, to accelerate transitions to a zero-carbon industry. He co-leads the group in terms of its research direction and strategically, overseeing a portfolio of grant funded research and consultancy projects.

Patrick Englebert

Founder of PROPELWIND

 Project Manager and Innovator mainly in maritime sector:
11 years with TRACTEBEL (nuclear power plants, waste treatment).
25 years with EXMAR (shipping and offshore, LNG STS).
5 years with GTT (LNG as fuel, LNG bunkering).
Started working on wind propulsion in 2008, founded the company PROPELWIND S.A.S. in 2011.
Co-founder of IWSA in 2012.
Since 2019 focus on various SDG concepts including Shipping Decarbonizing, WASP and wind.

Stuart Sinclair

Offshore Deployment at Lhyfe

A high achieving, conscientious and experienced energy professional with over fifteen years’ experience at the executive level. Demonstrating skills in business growth and development for several publicly listed and private companies, working as part of a C-Suite team or independently. Always seeking innovative solutions to overcome complex problems and to expand portfolios.
A natural leader who provides pragmatic, logical and commercially viable solutions to enable transformation through strategic direction. Team oriented, he can engage, motivate, and feels confident handling complex team dynamics. His personal attributes of professional integrity and ethical behaviour engender confidence from key stakeholders and those within project teams. Joined Lhyfe in 2023 as the Offshore Deployment Manager for the UK and Ireland and is responsible for leading major capital projects in alignment with Lhyfe growth ambitions.

Paul Hughes

President & Founder Shift Clean Energy

Paul Hughes has extensive expertise in the energy storage, marine, and renewable energy sectors. He has worked for over 10 years in marine energy storage and has some three decades of experience in renewable energy and utility companies, including successfully taking European and North American companies from start-up to IPO. His career includes senior executive roles in both established energy companies and start-ups, and he has made his mark in the sector by improving operations of marine companies by combining use of energy technology with financing solutions.