Meet our Speakers

Mathieu Girardin joined DFDS in October 2022. And is Head of Ferry Division and member of the Executive Management Team.
Before joining DFDS, Mathieu Girardin was Senior Vice President of CMA CGM Group and in charge of Short Sea Lines, based in Marseille, France.
During his 10 years with CMA CGM Group, he held several senior positions in France and in Singapore, including CEO for Asia-Pacific region, Chief Trade Officer for APL, and Head of Group Operations.
Before then, Mathieu Girardin was part of Management Consulting firms Accenture, and then Rise Conseil, based in Paris.
Mathieu Girardin is a French citizen, born 1982 and lives in Copenhagen with his family.

Björn Boström is since 2008 Managing Director at Port of Ystad. He has 38 years of experience in shipping in companies like Saga Line,
DFDS, Lion Ferry, DSØ A/S (i.a. The Hydrofoils Copenhagen-Malmö), the domestic island ferry company Ven-Trafiken AB and now Port of Ystad.
He has a broad experience of ferry operations and has worked as Sales Representative, Sales- and Marketing Manager, Route Manager and Managing Director.
Since 2008, Port of Ystad has strengthened its position as Sweden's third largest ferry passenger port. The volumes still increase with new records during the last years. And the port has undergone a major development as two new ferry berths, for vessels up to 240 meters, were built ready for service in January 2021, an investment of more than 100 million euro securing the future port operations.

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Mr. Achille Onorato, the eldest son of Vincenzo Onorato, represents a fifth generation ship – owner.
He graduated in Business Administration at Bocconi University in Milan. Later received his Master always Bocconi in Logistics and Transport Infrastructure.
Even before his degree, he already participates actively in the business of the company, working on board of the ship fleet of the family alternately to studies
from the age of 13 years old until the end of university, spending on board a total of more than 3 years.
He then later started to work in the commercial area of the group and then became the Hospitality and on Board Services Director of the company Moby SpA.
On January 2012 he became the CEO of the company Toremar, first public shipping company that was privatized in Italy, achieving a radical revolution and innovation of the company.
Mr. Achille Onorato has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Moby and Tirrenia – CIN since 2015 and he has also served as the sole director of both companies from its formation until its conversation into a joint stock companyand the subsequent appointment of the Board of Directors.

On July 2015 Mr. Achille Onorato has become the Vice Executive Chairman of Moby SpA and subsequently on April, 2016 he became the Chief Executive Officer and in the same time he still keeps the position of Vice Executive Chairman of the company.
In addition to the Ship - owner's family tradition, just like his father, he has also the passion for sailing on regattas.

Summary of Current Position in the Company:
* Moby CEO and Vice Executive Chairman
* Member of the BoD of Tirrenia – CIN
* Executive Member of the BoD of Toremar
* BoD Member of San Cataldo
* Chairman of Agemar and Renzo Conti sr

Mikael has a background as an IT developer and architect. Mikael was involved from the beginning when Stena Line started the project to replace their mainframe-based booking systems for passengers and freight in the early 2000s. Mikael served as the chief architect at Stena Line for 4 years.

During his time at Stena Line, Mikael realized that a booking system could be made much simpler by focusing on what is important and using modern technology.
Therefore, the project to build a proprietary booking system was started as a test at Mikael's consulting company.
When Mikael realized how good the proprietary system could become, the booking system was spun off into its own company.

Alan Tofte serves as the Managing Partner at Adaptive Recognition Nordic A/S, where he leads the way in the company's Global SmartPort division.
Adaptive Recognition is highly regarded in the maritime industry for its cutting-edge work in designing, developing, and producing software and hardware firmly rooted in computer image processing technology.

For more than 30 years the company has been deeply committed to research and development, with a primary focus on optical character recognition technology (OCR) and image analytics, technologies of utmost relevance in the maritime sector.

During the recent years Adaptive Recognition has emerged as a trailblazer in SmartPort innovation. The company's mission is to make a tangible impact on the maritime world by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to enhance safety and sustainability.
Their unique expertise is strategically applied to optimize port traffic management and elevate the precision of identity verification processes,
ultimately contributing to a maritime environment that is both safer and more ecologically sustainable.

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Robbie Drummond is the Chief Executive of CalMac Ferries. A customer focused ferry and port operation business with revenues of £300m and 1,800 employees. CalMac Ferries run 35 ferries across the West Coast of Scotland, carrying 6 million passengers annually, 1 million cars and 1 million freight metres, and running on average 500 sailings per day Robbie has a keen interest in supporting local business.
He is on the Board of Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) and is Chair of Stramash, an outdoor nursery enterprise.
He also sits on Operator’s Committee for Interferry.

Paul Kyprianou has studied economics at the L.U.I.S.S. Guido Carlo University (Rome) and holds a Master’s degree in Shipping, Trade & Finance (City University, London). He entered the Grimaldi Group in 1995. By covering the position of Commercial Executive at the Group’s offices in London.
In 1997 he was transferred to the Group’s Headquarters in Naples as Area Manager for Greece and Cyprus. Since 2000 he also holds the position of External Relations Manager. From 2005 to 2010 he was Managing Director of Grimaldi & Louis Dreyfus Lines which run a freight & passenger service between Civitavecchia (Italy) and Toulon (France).
He is a Board Member of various companies of the Grimaldi Group among which Scandinavian Auto Logistics (1999-2000), Grimaldi Belgium, Antwerp Euroterminal and Minoan Lines. Paul Kyprianou represents the Grimaldi Group at various associations such as ECSA (European Community Shipowners’ Associations), Interferry and he is at the Advisory Board of the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.

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Gotland Tech Development AB
christer.bruzelius@gotlandtechdevelopment.se

As a senior partner with Gotland Tech Development. Christer drives innovation in shipping, enabling the industry to become more sustainable by advancing the technical solutions of tomorrow. Gotland Tech Development was launched in 2021 by Rederi Gotland to drive technical development
by building partnerships with leading maritime companies.
Christer Bruzelius has more than 20 years of experience in senior management positions, as CEO and MD, for shipping companies in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.
For 9 years, Christer was the CEO of Destination Gotland (part of the Rederi Gotland Group), which operates the RoPax ferry traffic between the island Gotland and mainland Sweden. During his time as a CEO, Christer led several initiatives to place the company at the forefront in sustainability, including adding two RoPax-ferries powered by natural gas and biogas to the fleet.

With a distinguished career and educational background, Panagiotis G. Anastassopoulos seamlessly blends technological expertise with strategic leadership.
As CEO OLPA, he oversees overall strategic management, implementing innovative approaches to enhance port services and fortify the port's position at the national and international levels. He has spearheaded initiatives for the development and enhancement of port infrastructure, elevating the efficiency and competitiveness of Organization. Actively seeking and promoting strategic collaborations with other ports, businesses, and agencies,
he strengthens the position of OLPA in blue economy. Panagiotis G. Anastassopoulos boasts a BA in Mathematics from the University of Patras
and an MBA from the Hellenic Open University and several IT accreditations.
Furthermore, he holds specialized knowledge in the development of IT systems, particularly in WEB2.0 applications.
With over 25 years of experience, he possesses excellent expertise in innovative business models and digital transformation.

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George D. Pateras, born in London, UK and the father of 3 adult children, is the Deputy Chairman, Contships Management Inc.
and since 2016 the Chairman of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping. He Studied Engineering and Economics and holds a BSc in Marine Engineering from Newcastle University, MS in Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture from MIT and a PhD from Plymouth University.
He is a Board member of the Hellenic War Risks Association and the Bahamas Shipowners Association, Chairman of the Hellenic Shipping War Risks Insurance S.A., Vice Chairman, NATO,
PBOS now TG(OS) (2000-) and permanent advisor (AMSCC) of the Hellenic Ministry of Defense.

Dr. Pateras has also served as the Chairman of the Bahamas Shipowners’ Association (2011-2015) and as a Board member of the Hellenic Seamen’s Pension Fund (1984- 1993), Olympic Aviation (1991-1993), the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping (1986-2015), the Union of Greek Shipowners (1983-2004), HELMEPA (1996-1998), the BSA representative on International Chamber of Shipping (2011-2015) and Managing Director of Aegeus Shipping S.A. (1981-2018)

Theodora Riga is the Chief Commercial Officer & Director of Strategic Communications of ThPA S.A., a Member of the Board of Directors of MedCruise (Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports). Member of the Board of Directors of Thessaloniki Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping Representative on the Hellenic Government’s National Cruise Committee.

Born in 1973 in the USA, she holds an MBA in Business Administration. Has held senior managerial positions in port, shipping and financial services companies over the last 20 years. She is member of the National Cruise Committee and a Board Member of a shipping company listed on the Athens Stock Exchange.
As Commercial Director and as Management Consultant on Strategic Development, Sales, Marketing and Communication in the largest shipping companies in Greece. Providing communication support to the Association of Shipping Companies.

As Head of Machinery and systems, Brian Bender Madsen is together with his colleagues
developing new Ship designs and conversions at KNUD E HANSEN A/S.
Brian also responsible for coordinating overall development and design within
Ships machinery and electrical systems, from environmental performance to the cost-efficient
solutions and helping the Shipping companies to determine and deliver on future fuel strategies.
This includes our successful integration of the new fuels such
Methanol, Ammonia, LNG etc. in the KNUD E HANSEN ship designs.

Brian is educated Mechanical engineer at the University of Southern Denmark
and started his career as a Project Engineer at MAN B&W and moved on to
MAERSK SHIP DESIGN working with technical part of specifying,
negotiating, test, approving and delivery of ships for the shipping companies
within A. P. Moller-Maersk.

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Per is a seasoned SmartPort pioneer with 45 years of extensive experience in international shipping and logistics.
As the Director of Business Development at SMARTPORTS, he is renowned for his expertise in operations, data collaboration, system development for OEM manufacturers, and advisory roles in intelligent operations and traffic systems utilizing cutting-edge imaging technologies.

Throughout his career, Per has led numerous transformations, designing innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency and transparency for +100 RoRo Ferry terminals. He specializes in leveraging and adapting top-tier proven technologies from various sectors to facilitate real-time transparency and collaborative data utilization. His dedication to enhancing transparency and providing genuine metadata, combined with his use of data-driven insights, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics, positions him as a forward-thinking leader in the industry.

Per's commitment extends beyond technological advancements; he is focused on driving operational transformation through strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, aiming to create a safer, more sustainable, and efficient future. Have received several awards for his achievements with bringing for RoRo Ferries into a the next generation of Technology.

Ethan Faghani is the CEO and founder of Cetasol. Before Cetasol, Ethan was Chief Engineer of Automation and AI at Volvo Penta. Ethan has experience working with cutting-edge technologies in other transportation segments in both big enterprises and his own founded startup. Ethan obtained his Ph.D. in mechatronics from UBC and Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Stanford Business School.

Bertine Kviteberg is the Director of Customer Relations at Adonis HR - The #1 provider of HR and Payroll solutions for ferries. Bertine leads a dedicated team to ensure top-notch client satisfaction, and she excels at solving HR challenges and building strong client relationships.

Juan Pablo Molina, born in Madrid in 1971, is MSc. In Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering by Polytechnic University of Madrid and MBA by IDE.
With more than 25 years of experience in different areas in maritime industry and with a large worldwide background, in Latin America, Singapore and The Netherlands.
He has developed different projects and business management responsibilities in ship repairs and ship building shipyards like NAVANTIA, VULKAN SHIPYARD and DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP both on commercial vessels, military ships as well as mega-yachts.
Since 2021, he joined for a second time the ferry and ro-pax owner BALEARIA, where in total has accumulated almost 10 years of experience as Technical Director.

Position at MAN Energy Solutions: Head of Sales, Propeller & Aft Ship
With a background as a mechanical engineer, Karsten Borneman has worked at MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) for more than 30 years in project engineering as well as sales and sales management.
For several years with the world-wide sales responsibility of complete propulsion solutions formerly offered out of the MAN ES production facilities in Frederikshavn, Denmark - covering both low-speed two-stroke engines and medium speed engines as main propulsors in packages with CP propeller and controls.
Since 2011, the Propeller and Aft Ship Solutions has been a separate business areawithin MAN ES – where Karsten Borneman is heading world-wide sales of the complete MAN ES propeller portfolio.

Chief Commercial Officer of OSK Group comprising OSK-ShipTech A/S and Steen Friis Design A/S – leading Danish marine consultancy group specialising in innovative ferry designs and ship interiors, maritime risk assessment and green propulsion technologies to name just a few.

Anders has served as Secretary General of Danish Society for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and has been recommended as fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects in London. He spends the majority of his time advising shipowners on Fleet Strategy, concept development and technical advisory on tender processes and negotiation of newbuilding projects.

Anders holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark and is a specialist in the field of RoRo and RoPax ferries, innovative concept designs, passenger flow, and on-board experience economy.

Pino Spadafora currently serves in the marine sector as RINA’s Global Commercial Senior Director and has been living and working in Northern Europe for 17 years to continually enhance the profile of the group throughout the region. His current responsibilities encompass group strategy and external corporate
development, both commercially and technically.

In terms of group strategy, he is specifically responsible for the rollout across business streams into a global plan and ensuring consistency with the company’s vision and mission. Working closely with RINA’s CEO and individual business streams, his role is to identify potential partners with whom to collaborate to grow and build the business.

Pino has acquired a wealth of experience in fleet management principles, classification services, advisory services, project management, key account management and customer service, including customer retention and satisfaction.
He also has excellent knowledge and technical experience of all aspects of the marine industry, including environmental and regulatory matters.

Thanassis Karlis is currently Deputy Manager at the Marketing Department of Piraeus Port Authority SA. Before his current position He held the Management positions of the departments of Marketing, Strategic Planning and Public Relations at the Port of Piraeus Authority SA. Thanasis is a clinical professor at the MSc Shipping of the University of Piraeus, External Examiner for the University of Essex UK and an Adjunct Professor of the University of Tasmania-Australia where he served as Head of the Ports and Shipping Department. He has published in journals and conferences on maritime and port economics and policy. He holds a PhD from the University of Piraeus, Maritime Studies and an MSc from Cardiff University in International Trade.