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Finding the best talent the maritime world

Since 1997, Spinnaker has been a trusted partner in maritime recruitment and consultancy, connecting exceptional talent with opportunities across the global shipping industry. Our track record spans multiple continents, vessel types, and maritime sectors – from traditional shipping to offshore energy and port operations. Through industry transformations and economic cycles, we've maintained our position as a go-to maritime specialist, building our reputation on deep market knowledge, carefully cultivated relationships, and consistently successful outcomes.

We're proud that many of the industry's most respected organisations repeatedly turn to us for their maritime talent needs. Our extensive network and nuanced understanding of shipping operations have enabled us to successfully deliver hundreds of assignments at all levels, from technical specialists to C-suite executives. Whether sourcing leadership talent in major shipping hubs or finding specialised expertise for remote operations, our approach combines global reach with local insight to achieve exceptional results.

Shore-based Recruitment Track Record

Commercial

Bunker Operator, International Provider of Marine Fuel, South Africa

S&P Broker, Shipbroker, Monaco

Port Captain, One of the World’s Largest Dry Bulk Companies, China

Regional Manager in Operations & Logistics, Global Container Ship Line, United Arab Emirates

Chartering Manager, One of the World’s Largest Dry Bulk Companies, Australia

Operations Manager, Global Shipping Company, Hong Kong

Finance, Sales & Marketing

Chief Financial Officer, Global Shipping Company, Denmark

Financial Planning & Advisory Manager, Global Transportation Company, United Kingdom

Senior PR Account Manager, PR Company, United Kingdom

Port Agency Sales Manager, Maritime Agency, Uruguay

HR Specialist, Global Leader in Logistics and Shipping, United States of America

Business Development Manager, Leader in Engineering Services, Remote

Legal, P&I and Insurance

Senior Legal Counsel, One of the World’s Largest Ship Buyers, United Arab Emirates

Inhouse P&I Claims Manager, Intergovernmental Organisation, United Kingdom

Shipping Disputes Solicitor, Law Firm, United Kingdom

Claims Handler, P&I Correspondents, Spain

Loss Prevention Executive, P&I Club, United Kingdom

Chief Underwriting Officer, P&I Club, United Kingdom

Technical

Technical Purchaser, Chemical Shipping Company, The Netherlands

Master Mariner, Road and Rail Ferry Services, New Zealand

Head of Crewing, Global Ship Owner/Operator, Philippines

Head of Marine Procurement, International Ship Operator, United Kingdom

Technical Superintendent, Shipmanager, Germany

Dry Docking Manager, Coastal Shipping Provider, Papua New Guinea

Executive Search Track Record

  • CEO, Trade Organisation, UK
  • Group CFO, Marine Services, Dubai
  • Director of Sales, Maritime SaaS Company, USA
  • Head of Asset Management, Shipowner, Singapore
  • Maritime Educationalist, Shipping, Transport & Logistics, Papua New Guinea
  • VP Legal, Cruiseline, UK
  • Secretary General, Head of Policy, Industry Body, Europe
  • Chief HR Officer, Shipowner, Hong Kong
  • Non-Executive Director, AI & Autonomous Shipping, USA
  • Group Technical Director, Ship Manager, UK
  • Director of Claims, P&I Club, Europe
  • Director of Operations, Shipowner, Singapore
  • CEO, Shipowner, Hong Kong
  • Head of Shipping, Law Firm, UK
  • CEO, Logistics & Freight Services Provider, Dubai

Executive Search Case Studies

Wondered what it is like to have an executive search? Take a look at some of our case-studies.

CEO, Large Dry Bulk Shipowner

CEO search for a dry bulk shipowner operator with 120+ handy and supramax vessels for their Singapore headquarters. The group was splitting their liner and dry bulk divisions into two separate companies and wished to hire a Chief Executive for the dry bulk company.

The Chairman and three Non-Executive Directors based in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore.

After a period of rapid owned and operated fleet growth, the Board recognised that to operate successfully in today’s dry bulk market they needed a Chief Executive with experience of modern freight trading and financial / risk management techniques, as well as corporate restructuring and tough decision making.

The Chairman has a diverse portfolio of responsibilities and so also needed someone he could trust, rely upon and who would act as a translator of issues and strong communicator between the business and the Board and the Group as a whole.  It was important therefore to distinguish between the leadership styles of prospective candidates and to deselect those individuals who might micro-manage and interfere in the day to day commercial activities or whose approach to trading and appetite for risk would clash with the Board’s. Culture-fit was therefore crucial.

The entire search took place during the coronavirus crisis and therefore required remote video interviewing across multiple locations with only the final interviews taking place in person with the Chairman.

We targeted the CEOs, former CEOs and COOs/Commercial Directors of significant owners and operators in the dry bulk market and some commodity / mining companies, a prerequisite being owner-side experience.  All candidates were provided with a thorough information prospectus and were fully briefed and interviewed by Spinnaker’s executive search team including our Chairman.

The candidates were compared in terms of their boardroom experience within a shipowning environment, risk appetite towards paper vs physical freight trading, exposure to handies/supras vs larger sizes (and the understanding of the different trading strategies appropriate to each), willingness to be based long-term in Singapore and experience of staffing / organisation restructuring.

Members of executive search team have particular knowledge of the dry bulk market so we were particularly well-placed to build an initial market map and a smaller target longlist. We tested the water with two preliminary CVs to ensure our thinking aligned with the Chairman’s and then built an initial longlist of nine, which was reduced to an interview shortlist of six (based in the US, Singapore, Denmark and the UK) and a final shortlist of three.

The role was filled by a Danish candidate, an experienced CEO, who relocated to Singapore.

Spinnaker enjoys ongoing strong relationships with the appointed candidate, the board and the client’s HR team. They remain a regular recruitment and salary benchmarking client.

CEO, Logistics Company

The role required a candidate with robust commercial experience and strong strategic leadership skills, capable of overseeing a number of subsidiary companies. Strategic, forward-thinking, with a vision for how the company could remain competitive in the sector.  Excellent leadership and management abilities.

The holding group in Europe and Asia, the managing directors of the various brand companies, local government officials, the wider local community including educational establishments.

We needed a diverse skill set across logistics, transportation, warehousing, and ship ownership.  Someone capable of managing a wide range of stakeholders, including clients, employees, government officials and academics.  It was also a challenging location.

We targeted senior level individuals with diverse experiences, strategic vision, proven leadership and diplomacy skills.  Operationally skilled, capable of leading multiple brands with the gravitas to inspire the team and make an immediate impact. Drawing from our broad network, we approached various executives and developed a well-rounded shortlist.

We also prioritised candidates with experience in diverse and challenging locations, as well as a proven ability to manage any external crisis factors.

The search team utilised their extensive network of sources and contacts, reaching out to identify highly regarded experts in the field. This involved drawing on previous CEO-level contacts, leveraging existing connections for strong recommendations.

We created a diverse and compelling longlist and market map for review and targeting. As part of our usual practice, we presented a selection of CVs for benchmarking and feedback to ensure our approach aligned with the client’s expectations. Ultimately, seven candidates were shortlisted, with five proceeding to interview.

We successfully filled the role with a senior executive with +25 years extensive international experience in maritime.  They had experience of building and managing culturally diverse and complex businesses in multiple sites.

Extensive experience in managing people with wide-ranging employee engagement and interpersonal skills. Strengths include solving complex problems, process excellence, driving continuous improvement, cost reduction, and profitability.  Someone who has led change and driven compliance, safety, risk and performance management, operational excellence, and governance.

The client was happy that this person aligned with the goals and it was a good partnership.

CEO, Membership Body

The search was conducted for a senior executive to lead a maritime membership body. The ideal candidate needed to be a qualified Naval Architect or Marine Engineer with a strong technical background, capable of leading a membership organisation. They were required to have experience managing a P&L and demonstrate excellent leadership skills, earning the trust and confidence of the Board of Trustees and other key stakeholders.

The Board of Trustees, council and Executive team.

For many of the board members, this was not their primary, full-time role, and they had other diverse commitments we needed to consider when scheduling interviews and related activities.

Recruiting for a membership body can be a niche search, as candidates must possess the right presence. They need to represent the institution confidently at events and discussions, ensuring they are heard while making others feel acknowledged.

The ideal candidate required strong technical expertise, with a proven track record in their field. They needed to be senior enough to command respect in a room, yet able to understand and relate to the technical needs and challenges faced by members. Exceptional communication skills were essential.

Throughout the process, we remained mindful of the time constraints faced by board members. We informed candidates of the expected timeline, kept them engaged and updated regularly, and ensured that all board members involved, as well as our main point of contact, were kept informed of our progress.

We mapped relevant companies, identified specific individuals, and welcomed recommendations from trusted industry contacts. Leveraging our broad network, we approached a range of executives and developed a well-rounded shortlist.

We have an extensive network of sources and contacts and were able to reach out and find people we rated in this field of expertise. We reviewed our existing database and network, targeting individuals with substantial experience who were well-positioned to lead the membership body effectively.

This included class societies, engineering associations and membership bodies. We were able to create a varied and interesting long list and market map for consideration and targeting. As is our practise, we presented a small number of CVs for benchmarking and comments to ensure our thoughts were aligned with that of our clients. Eight candidates were presented. Five candidates were interviewed.

We filled the role with a candidate we knew well. They had strong technical expertise and was a well-connected individual. The client was very pleased with the shortlist, the process and the open line of communication between us.

Ship Finance Team, Global Law Firm

Spinnaker represented law firm Hill Dickinson in their recruitment of a specialist Ship Finance team of 10 from Ince & Co. The project was handled personally by Chairman Phil Parry. The new hires all moved from Ince & Co Hong Kong and the move strengthens Hill Dickinson’s marine and shipping practice across the region.

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