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Capital Link’s successful London Forum

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When we say a full house, we mean a full house…!

Record attendance at Capital Link’s fifth annual international shipping and marine services forum* London – Capital Link, a global Investor Relations firm based in New York, with offices in London and Athens, Greece, announced last week that its Fifth Annual Invest in International Shipping and Marine Services Forum held in London on Thursday, September 27th 2012, in cooperation with the London Stock Exchange, was attended by 325 delegates, the most of any London Forum organized by Capital Link.

l to r: Christopher Conway, Eri Tsironi, Joep Gorgels and the moderator of the panel Alistair Mackie

This event focused on providing a comprehensive review and current outlook of the various shipping and marine services markets, while raising the profile of publicly traded shipping and marine services companies throughout the UK and the wider European investment communities. The Forum featured a distinguished group of expert panellists and presenters.The level of investor participation at this year’s Forum demonstrated that the maritime sector continues to gain traction among UK investors.

Following the welcome remarks by Capital Link’s President Nicolas Bornozis, the opening remarks come from Alastair Walmsley, head of the primary Markets, London Stock Exchange.

The Marine Services sector overview was successfully delivered by Peter Ashworth, Equity Analyst from Charles Stanley Securities and the overview of the Global Ports sector was given by Christopher Combe, the head of transport at J.P. Morgan plc.

The Structural Changes in Shipping Today by Prof. Elias Karakitsos, Chairman of Global Economic Research – please see our first reference on this, dated 28 Sept. 2012, in this site.

The first session panel discussion was on “Shipping and Bank Lending” and was successfully moderated by Alistair Mackie, partner at Holman Fenwick and Willan. Panellists included Joep Gorgels, head of transportation west Europe of ABN AMRO; Christopher Conway, managing director and global shipping portfolio manager from Citigroup; Eri Tsironi, senior vice president and regional head Greece, dry bulk group from DVB Bank SE representative office Greece. Five questions followed; a good one was on competition and a remark for the Greeks leaving Piraeus due to the circumstances in Greece was also tackled by the writer who believes that “…nothing spectacular will happen even if the opposition comes in power, and if something was going to happen, it could have happened back in 1981” – some delegates though remarked “…you never ever know of course, just in case….”

l to r: Harold Malone, Philippe Chryssicopoulos, Michael Dockman, Perry Van Echtelt and at the podium Tony Edwards

Then come the second panel on Capital Markets and Alternative Financing: how to close the funding gap moderated by Tony Edwards, partner, corporate finance at Stephenson Harwood. Panellists included Harold  Malone, senior vice president from Jefferies & Co, Philippe Chryssicopoulos, managing director and head of shipping EMEA at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Michael Dockman, managing director AMA Capital Partners and Perry van Echtelt, executive director, corporate finance and capital markets from ABN AMRO. A very good question came from Jean Richards – as always… and was in depth discussed!

One of Martin Stopford’s slides

An extended networking lunch followed, giving time to meet with regulars of Capital Link’s Conferences and also meet new ones!

The appetite was there still with shipping guru Martin Stopford demonstrating an overview of the Global Shipbuilding sector in his usual way – his slides playing as always a pivotal role!

The hard hit Container sector panel was moderated by Ben Nolan, director and head of shipping research, Knight Capital Americas L.P. Panellists included Aristides Pittas, CEO Euroseas Ltd, John Dragnis CEO Goldenport Holdings Inc., Ian Webber CEO from Global Ship Lease and Tobias Koening, CEO from Marenave Schiffahrts AG. Many interesting questions where continued at the coffee brake after the Tanker Sector’s panel deliberations!!

l to r: John Dragnis, Aristides Pittas, Tobias Koening and Ian Weber

The wet had its day too with the tanker market being in a mess, compared with the good …old days five years ago and over… Braemar Seascope research director Mark Williams was the moderator with Marco Fiori, CEO d’ Amico International shipping S.A, Hans Noren, president of Concordia AB, Harry Cosmatos from Tsakos Energy Navigation replacing George Saroglou and Anthony Gurnee CEO from Ardmore Shipping. Fiori was in a great day and replied with business charisma to some tough questions!

l to r: Anthony Gurnee, Harry Cosmatos, Hans Noren and Marco Fiori

Back in the open plan-room, the dry bulk session attracted the most of questions, given the state of the low market but also with some mergers coming up, the atmosphere was heated! Mark Pauchet proved a good moderator; I guess being in the ACM’s research team  gives you this ability… George Wells, head of dry freight derivatives and asset lead from Cargill Ocean Transport was there with John Dragnis – again as in the boxes panel, Fotini Karamanlis who was very talkative and left a good impression on the points she referred to; Henriette Van Nierkerk , the senior equity analyst from Clarkson Investment services, very well placed on the issues… all in all a great panel and let’s see next time round who was the right prophet…The coffee brake as said above was yet the field of the tanker sector debate….

l to r: John Dragnis, Heinriette Van Niekerk, Fotini Karamanlis and George Wells

Now, Bornozis’ excellent and thoughtful choice to bring in the eloquent Clay Maitland, the managing partner from IRI, was one of the assets of this year’s forum. Clay made an interesting testimony on the markets and was well aware of all aspects on Investment and Business opportunities in Shipping Today. Two successful Greeks were in the panel: Akis Tsirigakis the CEO of Nautilus Marine Acquisition Corp., and Stamatis Molaris, Chairman and CEO of Alma Maritime, the successful new breed of Greek listed shipping with interesting points and philosophy on the matter. Other panellists where Adrian Dacy, managing director global real assets group form J.P. Morgan and Chris Davis, the Finance director from Graig Shipping PLC.

I guess that the reception which followed, sponsored by Holman Fenwick and Willan was yet another forum with 200 plus remaining.

l to r: Chris Davis, Stamatis Molaris, Akis Tsirigakis and Andrian Dacy; at the far right end the moderator Clay Maitland

Allaboutshipping was in full force with the writer and Lilian Evgenides from the Southampton region there too to meet and talk with delegates, get their views so as to be able in the near future (Nov/Dec 2012) to give you the verdict on the markets and what’s gone to happen. Spotted and discussed various issues with Fabrizio Vettosi, Nepheli Karakitsos, Gerassimos Paschalides, Stamatis Molaris, Aristides Pittas, Pantelis Pittas, Michael Drayton, John Gauci-Maistre, Isidoros Chandris, Elinor Dautlich from Holman Fenwick and Willan, John A. Galanis – always in major events and with good questions, Emanuel Kyprios from OSI who asked over five questions during the various panel debates, Panos Skliamis, Carleen Lyden-Kluss from NAMEPA, Konstantinos Kofopoulos, Charlotte Yonge, Athena Bersimis, my good old friend Torild Stokes leading the VesselsValue.com team – they had a stand too, and many many others.

smiling faces: Olga Bornozis, Pantelis Pittas and John Gauci Maistre

Capital Link’s Sixth Annual Invest in International Shipping & Marine Services Forum will be in September 2013. More details on this, and all of Capital Link’s events can be found at www.capitallinkforum.com

Sponsors and Media Partners

  • Global Lead Sponsor: ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd
  • Global Gold Sponsors: Knight Capital Group and DVB Bank
  • Global Sponsors: AMA Capital Partners, Clarkson Capital Markets, Jefferies and The Marshall Islands Registry

Event Sponsors:

  • Charles Stanley Securities, Goldenport Holdings Inc., Holman Fenwick Willan LLP, and Stephenson Harwood
  • Supporting Sponsor: Vessels Value.com
  • Supporting Organisations: The Shipping Professional Network in London (SPNL) and the International Maritime Sales & Marketing Association (IMASMA)

Media Partners: Lloyd’s List, The Maritime Executive, TradeWinds and Worldoils

Capital Link

  • New York: 230 Park Avenue • Suite 1536 • New York • New York 10169, USA •Tel.: +1 212 661 7566 • Fax: +1 212 661 7526
  • London: Longcroft House, 2-8 Victoria Avenue, London, EC2M 4NS, U.K. • Tel. +44(0) 203 206 1320 • Fax. +44(0) 203 206 1321
  • Athens: 40, Agiou Konstantinou Str, Suite A5, 151-24 Athens, Greece • Tel. +30 210 6109 800 • Fax +30 210 6109 801

www.capitallink.com – www.capitallinkForum.com – www.capitallinkshipping.com

For further information, viewers can contact:

CAPITAL LINK

  • Nicolas Bornozis & Eleni Bej – New York, +1 212 661 7566
  • Olga Bornozi & Vicky Siabani – Athens, +30 210 6109 800
  • Eleni Theodoropoulou – London, + 44 (0) 20 3206 1322

www.capitallink.com/ www.capitallinkshipping.com/ www.capitallinkForum.com

Conference material accessible at www.CapitalLinkShipping.com

 

 

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