For those looking for a chance to catch up with some of the industry’s leading names they did not go home disappointed.
On the shipowning and operating from there was BW Group’s Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Noble Group’s R. Ragunath, and Marco Polo Marine’s Sean Lee.
It was a veritable who’s who of the shipmanagement industry, with Wallem’s Simon Doughtry, Anglo-Eastern’s Peter Cremers, Bernhard Schulte’s Rajaish Bajpaee, Univan’s Bjorn Hojgaard and Fleet’s Kishore Rajvanshy among those who were present.
Guest of honour for the evening was Singapore’s Minister of State for Finance and Transport Josephine Teo, and she was joined by Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore chief executive Andrew Tan, and Singapore Maritime Foundation chairman Michael Chia, Singapore Shipping Association’s (SSA) Patrick Phoon, among others.
While shipping is generally seen as a somewhat male dominated industry PSA International’s Caroline Lim noted from the podium that was pleasing to see good representation from women in the industry at the event.
And all of the socialising was eased along by an excellent selection of wines sponsored by Braemar Shipping Services.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening, TV business journalist Sheranjit Leyl, took a move away from the standard format of “lets talk about me and my job” so often seen by MC’s and instead went out into the audience and interviewed some leading executives, if in somewhat light-hearted manner. Among those chosen to be asked was ENESEL’s Esben Poulssen, who tongue somewhat wedged in cheek, talked about how winning the Seatrade Asia Awards Deal of the Year Award in 2013 had left him unable to walk down the street without being recognised.
Other “willing interviewees” included Caravel’s Harry Banga and SSA’s Phoon.
MPA's Andrew Tan with JTJB's Jude Benny
Singapore's Minister of State for Finance and Transport Josephine Teo listening to the views of the industry
Esther Oon-Bybjerg from GAC and Michael Chia chairman SMF