Shift Happens: Shipping And Bunkering Markets Brace For Change

Based at the company’s UK headquarters, Alok Sharma is responsible for the global business development of Inatech’s portfolio products for the Oil Trading and Marine Industries.

During his career he has also headed global purchasing and commercial departments within Marine, Express and Logistics industries. He has been responsible for energy procurement/trading and risk management in various capacities. He frequently contributes to the “industry debate” through articles, webinars to assist in Shipping and Bunkering industries work together as strategic partners.

Alok has experience in implementing large strategic projects including IT, Commercial, Supply Chain and M&A. Prior to joining Inatech, he worked in senior positions for the Royal Mail, Quantum and the CSAV Group. He also has worldwide sailing experience on cargo ships.  

Alok Sharma is a Master Mariner, and has an MBA from the London Business School.

Duncan McLennan is Group Director Technical of Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd (CSM) with responsibility for all technical matters across the Group and is currently based in Cyprus. Mr. McLennan started his sea-going career in 1976 with Hunting and Sons Ltd. of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and he has held various senior positions within shipping companies in Cyprus, Singapore, and the United Kingdom prior to joining CSM in 2013 as Technical Director. Mr. McLennan is a Chartered Marine and Mechanical Engineer and holds a B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland.

Randy Giveans is the Senior Analyst and Group Head of the Energy Maritime Shipping Equity Research Group and a Senior Vice President at Jefferies. He currently covers 30 energy maritime shipping companies that transport crude oil, refined petroleum products, LNG, LPG, dry bulk commodities, and containers. In 2019, he was named to Institutional Investor's (I.I.) All-America Research Team, and in 2018, he was named an Institutional Investor All-America Research Rising Star and was ranked as the #1 Stock Picker for Shipping in the Thomson Reuters Analyst Awards. Randy has appeared on CNBC and Bloomberg TV, and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg. Prior to joining Jefferies in 2011, Randy worked as a Senior Financial Analyst in the Corporate Finance department at Continental/United Airlines.

Mr. Giveans received a Bachelor of Science in Finance/Economics from Spring Hill College and an MBA in Finance with an Energy Specialization from the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.

Constantinos is Starbulk SA’s Bunkers Director.

He is a qualified Greek lawyer since 1997 and an English solicitor since 2002. From 1998 to 2002 he was the Legal Counsel of Excel Maritime Carriers, a Piraeus-based shipping company listed in NYSE. Constantinos further worked as a marine litigation solicitor at Holman Fenwick & Willan, both in London and Piraeus. Between 2004-2013 he was a shareholder and Director of Quantum Shipping Ltd., a family-affiliated shipping company, where he was responsible for the investment strategy as well as for all managerial, commercial and legal issues.

In 2014 Constantinos joined Starbulk SA, initially serving as General Manager of a number of private vessels and subsequently as Executive Vice President – Control Director of the procurement arm, Ship Procurement Services SA.

Since 2019 Constantinos is serving as Starbulk’s Bunkers Director, responsible for bunkering procurement & strategy and Starbulk’s cooperation with oil, energy and bunker industry stakeholders.

In 2020 Constantinos was elected as a Board Director of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA).

Constantinos is currently the Chairman of IBIA’s Future Fuels Working Group and a member of the Legal, Technical and Membership Working Groups of IBIA.

James Bradford has a wealth of experience from almost three decades in the global shipping industry. His executive roles saw him spend considerable career time with Gulfmark UK Ltd. and Gulf Marine Services PLC. James trained as an engineer and then became a Chief Engineer before progressing to Technical Director and holding two General Manager roles before being appointed Chief Operating Officer for Gulf Marine Services PLC.

James’s role is to ensure there is technical governance right across V.Group and that technical standards are applied with consistency and always in line with best practice. His team has a wide overview of day-to-day operations and as well as implementing new systems to enhance working practices. 

James sits on several Technical Committees including the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd’s Register, Class NK and DNV Technical Committee. He also participates within the Chamber of Shipping Carbon Working Group.

Steve is the Group Commercial & Business Development Director for VPS, responsible for the development and implementation of global commercial strategy, since joining the company in July 2016,

Graduating from Northumbria University with a BSc (Hons) in Applied Chemistry, Steve worked as an R&D Chemist for BNFL, ICI and Sanofi-Aventis, before joining Anachem Ltd, in a commercial role within laboratory instrumentation in 1997.

Progressing his international commercial career, Steve moved from technical sales to Sales & Marketing Manager, before becoming the General Manager for a1-Envirotech, gaining formal business management qualifications and awards along the way.

Steve joined Lintec Testing Services Ltd, a subsidiary of Intertek, as Operations & Key Accounts Manager in 2007, before becoming General Manager of Lintec in 2011, then Director of Intertek ShipCare in June 2012, a role held until joining VPS.