Course Leaders
Each of the Company's Directors serves as the Course Leader for a range of programmes. In addition, a number of other prominent individuals within the shipping industry also look after courses in areas of their own particular expertise.
David Martin-Clark
Barrister at Stone Chambers, Maritime Arbitrator, Commercial Disputes Mediator, Shipping & Insurance Consultant.
Previously Chairman and Chief Executive of Thomas Miller Group holding company and Chairman and Director of its subsidiaries in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and the US. The Thomas Miller Group is best known for its management of mutual insurance associations in the shipping and transport industry, such as the UK Pand I Club, the UK Defence Club and the TT (Through Transport) Club.
After a distinguished career in the commercial sector of the shipping industry, David returned to his roots in the law and re-qualified as a practising barrister, entering Stone Chambers in 2006. He lectures at post-graduate level in universities in the UK and overseas and he is also the Editor of the DMC's CaseNotes web site, a valuable reference source of recent law cases with significant relevance to maritime law and insurance. (www.onlinedmc.co.uk)
Jean Richards
Graduated with a degree in Mathematics and has been in the shipping industry since 1973. During the earlier part of her career she worked as marketing manager of Seabridge, the large bulk carrier consortium; Development analyst for the Gulf Group companies; Strategic planning manager for Gotaas Larsen; and Director of Magma Services Ltd.
From 1984 to 2004 she worked with Fairwind Shipping Ltd a company specialising in commercial consultancy and in the work-out of problem shipping loans. As Director and 50 per cent owner of Fairwind, the company was sold in 2002 to Denholm Shipping Ltd. Jean Richards resigned from the Denholm Group in 2004 to form her own shipping advisory company Quantum Shipping Services offering commercial advice and expert witness services, and to take up the role as Chairman of Datatrac Ltd, a company providing solutions for “data capture” within the shipping industry.
She is a Liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, a member of the Baltic Exchange and is a frequent presenter at Industry Seminars. She is regularly retained as an expert witness; having been involved to date in over 200 disputes ranging across nine legal jurisdictions. (www.quantumss.co.uk)
Philip Wood
Was at sea with the Blue Funnel Line (part of the Ocean Transport and Trading Group) for over 13 years during which time he assumed command of dry-cargo vessels. He came ashore in the early 1970s to study at South West University (then known as Plymouth Polytechnic) for his BSc (Navigation and Transport). He was accepted on the Baltic Exchange in 1974 and since then has served as either an Owners Broker, Charterers Agent or Competitive Broker.
In 1981 he joined Trade & Transport (UK) looking after their commercial interests in London as Chartering Manager and then as Director from 1984-2014. Trade & Transport operate a mixed fleet of Tankers and Dry Cargo vessels
Philip Wood served as the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers for many years. He was appointed Vice Chairman of the Institute from 1997-99 and then Chairman from 1999-2001. After 2 years as President Designate of FONASBA (2002 — 2004), he assumed the Presidency in October 2004.
He is the author of the textbook "Tanker Chartering" published by Witherbys in cooperation with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.