KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Arsenio Antonio Domínguez Velasco
Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Mr. Dominguez assumes his role as tenth IMO Secretary-General, bringing with him more than three decades of experience serving the global maritime sector, across a spectrum of leadership roles of increasing scope and responsibility.
Initially representing his native Panama, first within the Panama Maritime Authority and in his lattermost appointment as Ambassador of Panama to IMO, his affinity for building consensus saw him elected by his peers as Chair of several flagship IMO intergovernmental meetings, including: the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the Technical Committee of the 29th Assembly, and the Maritime Security, Piracy and Armed Robbery Group, as well as a number of Vice-Chair and Board member roles.
A naval architect at heart and by training, Mr. Dominguez gained his first degree at Veracruzana University, Mexico. Recognising from the outset of his career the importance of a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectorial approach to the maritime sector, Mr. Dominguez later went on to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Hull, as well as an executive qualification in International Law and European Politics at Birkbeck University, both in the United Kingdom.
This agile approach served him well in better understanding the priorities and navigating the needs of the different stakeholders across the maritime sector, and indeed the complexities of a specialized UN agency whose mission it is to support them. In 2017 Mr. Dominguez harnessed this extensive technical and diplomatic knowledge and experience as a delegate for the benefit of IMO. He joined the Organization, first as Chief of Staff, followed by Administrative Director – leading the Organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Directly prior to his election in July 2023 as Secretary-General, he was the Director of the Marine Environment Division.
His initial term as IMO Secretary-General, approved at the 33rd Assembly in December 2023, will be for a period of four years from 2024 to 2027.
K D Adamson
Futurist & Ecocentrist
K D Adamson dismantles Big Future’s techno-optimism by demonstrating that tomorrow is not a tech problem, it’s a value problem that no technology can solve.
A top futurist, ecocentrist and global authority on the future of business she challenges our assumptions – on stage, screen, in print and in organizations around the globe – offering truly world-changing ideas and perspectives on geopolitics and society, the environment, economics, technology, business and enterprise, and shows us that different kinds of future are available.
Her stellar client list includes top global brands, multi-nationals, governments, non-profits and NGOs where her vision and foresight together with candid pragmatism, commercial acumen and practical expertise has made her a trusted guide. She is also the world’s leading and most influential futurist in the maritime and shipping industry.
Sharp, funny and straight-talking her inspirational performances have been described as a TED talk on steroids, and a Tarantino movie where no one died. A renegade, iconoclast, and self-described ‘hopeful sceptic’ her motto is ‘dubito, ergo sum’ – ‘I doubt, therefore I am.’
PANELLISTS
Anna Sanfedele
Senior Delivery Operations Manager, Gulf Marine
Anna Sanfedele is a seasoned professional with over 11 years of experience at Gulf Marine as the Senior Delivery Operations Manager for Europe and Africa. Her expertise lies in managing and optimizing delivery operations to ensure efficiency and excellence in service. With a proven track record of success in the maritime industry, Anna brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to her role.
Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou
Chief Executive Officer of TOTOTHEO GLOBAL
Despina serves on the boards of various organizations, including the Cyprus Shipping Chamber and on the Executive Committee of the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation. She is also a Member of the General Committee of the Αssociation of SA & Entrepreneurship in Greece.
From August 2021 to February 2024, Despina held the positions of President of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Electricity Authority and Vice President of the Cyprus Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (ETYFA). She also served as President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA International) from October 2017 to October 2022.
In 2024, Despina was awarded the first-ever IMO Gender Equality Award, recognizing her outstanding achievements in promoting gender equality in maritime. She also received the Gender Equality Award from the Republic of Cyprus in the same year.
Leading international shipping publication Lloyd’s List has recognised Despina as one of the Top 100 Most Influential people in shipping for 6 consecutive years. In 2019, she was named “International Personality of the Year” at the Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards.
Despina is a frequent speaker at space mobility, shipping, and energy events, sharing her expertise and insights from her extensive involvement across these sectors. Her contributions underscore her commitment to advancing discussions and shaping the future of these interconnected industries.
She holds degrees from the National and Capodistrian University of Athens, the Copenhagen Business School and the University of Oxford.
Eva Rodriguez
Director Human Resources Marine at Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM)
Eva Rodriguez Navia is Corporate HR Marine Director at Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement and member of the Management Board. In her role, which she has held since 2018, she is responsible for all aspects of talent strategy, including employee experience, rewards, attraction, retention, training, development and diversity, inclusion and belonging for BSM’s rapidly growing global seagoing workforce of more than 25,000 seafarers. Eva and her team are focused on creating an environment where seagoing employees can thrive and flourish.
Mark O’Neil
President and CEO of Columbia Group
Mark O’Neil is the President and CEO of Columbia Group. Previously an English Army Officer and then a maritime lawyer by profession, as a Partner with Stephenson Harwood LLP and Reed Smith LLP for 17 years, Mark headed up international law firm Reed Smith LLP’s German Shipping Team, and also co-lead the firm’s Offshore Department. His clients included Ship Owners, Charterers, Insurers, Management Companies, Banks, Oil Companies and Offshore Contractors worldwide with a particular focus on the German, Scandinavian, Greek, Dutch, South American and Cypriot markets. He therefore has an in-depth knowledge of the shipping, ship management, banking and offshore sectors.
Mark chairs and/or speaks at numerous maritime and banking conferences and seminars worldwide. He is a passionate advocate of performance optimisation, digitalisation, crew training and the Human Element within the shipping and ship management industry and regularly speaks on these matters. In December 2020 Mark was elected as President of InterManager, and is also CEO of Schoeller Holdings.