Board of Directors and Management
Board of Directors
Ola Lorentzon
Chairman of the Board
Ola Lorentzon has been a director of the Company since its incorporation on September 18, 1996, Chairman since May 26, 2000 and Chief Executive Officer from May 2010 to March 2015. He is also a director of Frontline plc, Flex LNG Ltd and Erik Thun AB. Mr. Lorentzon was the Managing Director of Frontline Management AS, a subsidiary of Frontline, from April 2000 until September 2003.
John Fredriksen
Director of the Board
John Fredriksen has been a Director of the Company since October 2014, and the Chairman, President and a Director of Frontline plc since November 1997. Mr. Fredriksen stepped down from the role as Chairman and President in Frontline in May 2021. From May 2005 Mr. Fredriksen served as Chairman of the Board, President and a Director of Seadrill Ltd, he stepped down from these roles in 2019.
James O’Shaughnessy
Director of the Board
James O’Shaughnessy has been a Director of the Company since September 2018. Mr. O’Shaughnessy served as an Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller of Axis Capital Holdings Limited up to March 26, 2019. Prior to that Mr. O’Shaughnessy has amongst others served as Chief Financial Officer of Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings and as Chief Accounting Officer and Senior Vice President of Scottish Re Group Ltd., and Chief Financial Officer of XL Re Ltd. at XL Group plc. Mr. O’Shaughnessy received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College, Cork, Ireland and is both a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland, an Associate Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of the UK and a Chartered Director. Mr. O’Shaughnessy also serves as a director of Frontline plc, SFL Corporation Ltd. , Archer Ltd., Avance Gas Holdings Ltd., CG Insurance Group and Catalina General. Mr. O’Shaughnessy also serves as a director for Brit Re.
Ben Mills
Director of the Board
Ben Mills has been a Director of the Company since August 2021. Mr. Mills has extensive experience from the dry bulk market through tenures in Trafigura and the Baltic Exchange, particularly focusing on the Capesize segment. Mr. Mills is currently Head of Dry Cargo in Seatankers Management Ltd, an affiliate of Hemen Holding Ltd, the Companys largest shareholder.
Cato Stonex
Director of the Board
Cato Stonex has been a Director of the Company since January 2024. Mr. Stonex has had a long career in fund management, initially with J Rothschild Investment Management. He was then a founder and partner of Taube Hodson Stonex (THS) for 20 years, which managed institutional portfolios of global equity mandates. THS was sold to GAM in 2016, after which he established Partners Investment Company, which focused on stock picking in small and mid-cap equities, largely in Europe. In 2021, Partners Investment Company became Stonex Capital Partners Ltd and that same year Mr. Stonex also funded WMC Capital Ltd, an investment company focused on the recovery of the global shipping industry. Mr. Stonex has also been involved in a range of other business areas. He holds an undergraduate degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he served for ten years as a Governor and is now an Emeritus Governor. He has chaired its Development Committee and is now an advisor to the Endowment Investment Committee. Mr. Stonex is closely involved with LSE Ideas, a leading academic think tank.
Management
The Executive Management Team, elected by the Board of Directors, is responsible for driving day-to-day operations of the business and developing visionary strategies for growth, progress, and responsible practices.
Lars-Christian Svensen
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Lars-Christian Svensen has been Chief Executive Officer since January 2024. Prior to that, Mr. Svensen served as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of Golden Ocean Management AS. Mr. Svensen brings global shipping expertise, previously serving as Senior Vice President in Norway and President of U.S.A. trading activities in Seattle for Western Bulk. Before that, Mr. Svensen was a downstream analyst for Petredec and a tanker broker for Cmarine Services PTE Ltd. in Singapore. Mr. Svensen holds a Shipping degree from Merkantilt Institutt of Norway.
Peder Simonsen
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Peder Simonsen has been Chief Financial Officer since September 2020. Previously, Mr. Simonsen was Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Avance Gas AS. As First Vice President at Nordea Bank Norge ASA, Mr. Simonsen worked closely with numerous large shipping and offshore companies. Mr. Simonsen holds a Master of Science in Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Stirling in Scotland.
Tord Brath
Head of Global Operations
Tord Brath has served as Head of Global Operations since 2005. Previously, Mr. Brath was Deputy/Senior Operations Manager in D/S Norden AS and a vessel operator within the AP Møller Group. A nautical foundation underscores Mr. Brath’s expertise: he sailed four years as a Deck Officer during his maritime education from NTNU Åleslund and has a Deck Officer Class 1, Sea Captain Certificate.