CEO Ultrabulk

Mr. Hans-Christian Olesen has been in the shipping industry since 1987, where he started in the East Asiatic Company (EAC). In his early career, he was stationed for two years in Vancouver, Canada, and two years in New York, USA. In 1994, Mr. Olesen returned to Copenhagen where he took responsibility for the company’s chartering department for European dry cargo division. In 1997, he transferred to the Eitzen group in connection with the latter’s take-over of EAC’s bulk activities, and in 2010 Eitzen Bulk merged into Ultrabulk. Mr. Olesen has held various roles and management positions in Ultrabulk. From 2003, he headed the Far East and Middle East activities and subsequently in 2007, took global responsibility for the company’s Supramax activities. In 2014, Mr. Olesen also took charge of the company’s global Panamax activities, before taking the position as Chief Operating Officer in 2021. Since 2022, Mr. Olesen has held the position as Chief Executive Officer of Ultrabulk. Mr. Olesen has a degree in International Trade from the Copenhagen Business School. Mr. Olesen is a member of the Baltic Exchange Index Council, and is also Director at BIMCO. Furthermore, he is a board member of several Ultrabulk subsidiaries. 

CEO Austral Products Tankers

Mr. Andres Rusch is the Chief Executive Officer of Austral Product Tankers, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the maritime industry. His journey in shipping commenced in 2005 with the Ultranav Group, where he held diverse roles within the Tanker units. After three years in Chile, Mr. Rusch ascended to the position of Senior Chartering Manager at Cape Tankers in the Miami offices in 2008 where he successfully contributed to the growth of the Dirty Petroleum Products unit. In 2015, he returned to Chile to take on the role of General Manager Head of Projects for Ultratank. Under his guidance, numerous successful projects and tenders were executed, marking a significant contribution to the company’s achievements. Mr. Rusch was appointed as the CEO of Austral Product Tankers in 2018, prompting his relocation to Miami, where he currently resides. In addition to his role at Austral Product Tankers, he serves as the Pool Manager for the Clean Products Tanker Alliance (CPTA). This venture involves trading MR vessels globally in partnership with other industry leaders and has been operational and managed by Ultranav since 2015. Mr. Rusch completed his business studies at the Universidad de Chile and holds an MBA from Universidad Adolfo Ibanez. 

CEO Horizon

Mr. Benedict Geber started his shipping career with the Ultranav Group in 2006, as part of the team responsible for developing the Group’s Ultrabulk, dry cargo business platform. In 2009 he was promoted and transferred to Horizon Shipping in Miami, as Chartering Manager. Three years of intense company development followed and culminated with his appointment as CEO in 2013. Mr. Geber completed his business studies at the University of Passau in Bavaria and he holds a degree in Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann) from the Technische Universität (TU) – Berlin.

Chairman Antares Naviera & Wilson Sons UltraTug Offshore

Mr. Federico Irrgang joined the Ultranav Group in 2003 as CEO of Antares Naviera SA in Argentina. He currently holds the position of Chairman of Antares and Chairman of Wilson Sons Ultratug Offshore in Brazil. Prior to joining the Ultranav group, Mr. Irrgang worked 12 years in the Perez Company Group developing his career in exploration and production of oil and gas. He also held the position as Head of Planning and Business Developments, and sat as board member of several subsidiaries of the group. Mr. Irrgang holds a MSCI from Iowa State University and graduated as civil engineer from University of Buenos Aires. 

CEO Naviera Transoceánica

Mr. Diego Florez has been a part of the company for 23 years, starting as Operations Executive and steadily working his way up. From his many years in the company Mr. Florez holds extensive experience and deep understanding of the industry. In 2023 Mr. Florez took over the position as CEO of Naviera Transoceánica. Mr. Florez is a graduate of Industrial Engineering from the University of Lima and has an MBA from the Adolfo Ibáñez School of Management in Miami.

CEO Ultranav International ApS

Mr. Per Lange started his shipping career in 1981 with A.P.Moller-Maersk and was part of the management of the Maersk Bulk team from 1985 to 1995. In 1995 he joined EAC Shipping A/S, which was acquired by Tschudi & Eitzen in 1997 when Mr. Lange became part of the management of the Bulker Division. He was promoted to Managing Director in 2006. When Eitzen Bulk became part of the Ultranav Group in 2010, Mr. Lange continued as CEO of Ultrabulk, and during subsequent years he headed an important expansion. In 2023, Mr. Lange assumed the position as CEO of Ultranav International ApS, based in Copenhagen. Mr. Lange is a member of the Commercial Committee and the Climate Change Advisory Board in Danish Shipping, as well as a board member of Upteko and MAHI and Chairperson of CLIIN Robotics and Port Safety. 

CFO Ultranav

Mr. Sebastián Sánchez joined Ultranav as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2024. He brings a strong financial and strategic background developed through diverse roles across industries. Prior to joining Ultranav, Mr. Sánchez spent 13 years with SQM, the world’s largest lithium producer, where he held various leadership roles in finance and strategy, both in Chile and abroad. From 2019 to 2024, he worked at WOM, a private equity-backed telecom operator, serving as a key leader in restructuring efforts and in driving significant investment and financing initiatives. Mr. Sánchez studied Industrial Engineering at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He further advanced his education with an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Master’s in Finance (MSc) from the Universidad de Chile.

Board Member

Mr. Dag von Appen has held several executive positions in different areas of Ultranav both in Chile as well as several years in different countries, with associated enterprises in the shipping industry. For approximately 20 years Mr. von Appen served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Ultranav and as a Board Member of Ultramar. During his tenure as the head of Ultranav, the company underwent an important expansion and development from being a major regional player to having a significant global presence. In 2022, Mr. von Appen decided to step down from his responsibilities as Chairman, passing on the baton to his brother, Per von Appen, and today Mr. von Appen serves as a member of the Ultranav Advisory Board. Mr. von Appen holds a degree in Economics from the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, and he has also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School of Boston (USA).

Board Member

Mr. Peter Stokes has been involved in the shipping industry for 50 years, most recently as Senior Adviser and Head of Shipping at Lazard. Through his work as a senior investment banker and member of several boards of directors, Mr. Stokes has long-standing experience in acting as advisor to many shipping companies. He has been a member of the Advisory Board of Ultranav for the past 10 years and is currently also Chairman of the Global Maritime Forum, a non-profit foundation dedicated to shaping the future of global seaborne trade to increase sustainable long-term economic development and human well-being. Due to his breadth of knowledge, Peter Stokes is a frequent speaker at international shipping and finance conferences.