About Taylor Maritime Investments
The Company is an internally managed investment company and will invest in a diversified portfolio of vessels which will primarily be second-hand Geared Ships (Handysize and Supramax types). These vessels have historically demonstrated average yields in excess of 7 per cent per annum and are capable of being acquired at valuations that are expected to be below long-term average prices.
The Company intends to pay dividends on a quarterly basis with dividends declared in January, April July and October. The Company expects to declare its first dividend of 1.75 cents per Ordinary Share for the initial period ended 30 September 2021 in October 2021. Once the Company is fully invested, the Company will target a Total NAV Return of 10 to 12% p.a. (net of expenses and fees but excluding any tax payable by Shareholders) over the medium to long term.
Executive Team & The Board
Established in 2014, Taylor Maritime is a privately owned ship-owning and management business in which the Buttery family has an ownership interest. Taylor Maritime’s team includes the founders of dry bulk shipping company Pacific Basin Shipping (listed in Hong Kong 2343.HK) and gas shipping company BW Epic Kosan (formerly Epic Shipping) (listed in Oslo BWEK:NO). Taylor Maritime’s team of experienced industry professionals are based in Hong Kong and London.
The Executive Team (which comprises Edward Buttery, Alexander Slee, Camilla Pierrepont and Yam Lay Tan) is experienced across all aspects of shipping investments, including market analysis, deal sourcing, ship management, financing, risk management, accounting and reporting.
The Executive Team has a successful track record of raising and deploying capital on shipping assets mainly into Handysize and Supramax dry bulk ships. Taylor Maritime’s principals have been some of the most active buyers of Handysize and Supramax dry bulk ships having made over US$1.3 billion of asset purchases and sales since 1987. Many of these acquisitions have been made via “off market” direct relationships, particularly with Japanese counterparties, established through longstanding relationships.
The Directors are responsible for the determination of the Company’s investment policy and strategy and have overall responsibility for the Company’s activities including the approval of investments and divestments, review of investment activity and performance and the supervision of the activities of the Executive Team and of the external service providers, including the Commercial Manager.
The Company is a self-managed investment company and is its own AIFM for the purposes of the EU AIFM Directive and the UK AIFM Regime. It has not appointed an external AIFM.
Executive Team and The Board
Edward Buttery joined the supramax trading desk at Clarksons shipbrokers in 2005 after attending Oxford University. He went on to be a chartering manager at Pacific Basin between 2006 and 2008. He served as the Deputy COO of dry bulk shipping operator Asia Maritime Pacific from 2008 to 2010. During this time he sat the Institute of Chartered Ship broker’s examinations for which he was awarded prizes including the President’s prize for best overall results globally. Having gained a foundation in chartering he embarked on a Masters degree in Shipping, Trade and Finance at CASS Business school in London where he graduated with Merit. From there he joined the shipping team at Nordea Bank, lending senior debt to global shipping companies with a presence in Asia. He left Nordea to begin the work to set up what would become Taylor Maritime. Mr Buttery was winner of the Seatrade Asia Young Person of the Year award in 2017.
Edward Buttery
Founder, CEO and Executive Director
Executive Team
Alexander Slee has spent the last fifteen years in the shipping industry. After starting his career in the investment banking division of Citigroup in London, he joined Pacific Basin Shipping in Hong Kong in 2006 where he worked in a variety of corporate and divisional management roles. From 2010 he was General Manager of Vanship Holdings, a privately owned tanker and bulker ship owning company, and Group Strategy Director at Univan Ship Management, where he was closely involved in its merger with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management. He joined Taylor Maritime in 2016 where he has held the role of Deputy CEO. Mr. Slee holds a BA in Classics from Oxford University and has attended a management programme at INSEAD. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association.
Alexander Slee
Chief Operating Officer
Executive Team
Camilla Pierrepont joined Taylor Maritime in 2018 as Group Strategy Director. Ms. Pierrepont has held various strategy and investment roles over the last 16+ years. Prior to joining the Taylor Maritime Group, Ms. Pierrepont spent 2 years as Portfolio Manager at Blenheim Chalcot (London), a venture capital firm. Previously, she spent 4 years with shipping company, Epic Gas Pte (London & Singapore) as Head of Strategic Development. Prior to Epic, Ms. Pierrepont was a Senior Strategy Manager in the Strategy and Corporate Development Team at Microsoft (Seattle) for 3 years. She started her career as an analyst at Monitor Deloitte (London) after earning a BA in Chinese Studies from Oxford University in 2004. She was also Founding Trustee of Spark + Mettle from 2011 to 2015, a UK charity supporting young people in the pursuit of their life goals through the innovative use of digital technology.
Camilla Pierrepont
Chief Strategy Officer
Executive Team
Yam Lay Tan graduated with an Accountancy degree from Nanyang Technological University of Singapore (NTU) in 1993. She has been a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants since 1994 and is a Chartered Accountant. Prior to joining Taylor Maritime Group in 2019, Ms. Tan was a General Manager, Finance of Epic Gas Pte. for 6 years. Within the Epic Group she served as the director and company secretary of more than 40 companies. Prior to Epic, Ms. Tan held senior finance positions in security, IT, semiconductor and service companies.
Yam Lay Tan
Chief Financial Officer
The Board
Nicholas Lykiardopulo is a leading figure in the international shipping business, with extensive experience in shipping, commodities, and finance. At his family shipping business, Neda Maritime, he advised on the completion of a total of $3 billion in purchases, disposals and financing of shipping assets, and in the purchase and subsequent sale of two mid-size UK businesses. He has also advised on numerous investments in financial products, both on behalf of Neda as well as in his role as Director of The UK Mutual Steamship Association of Bermuda. Nicholas is a Director of Epic Gas, the largest owner and operator of pressurized LPG carriers and on the Board of Diorasis International SA, an alternative Investment Advisory firm based in Luxembourg. He holds an MA from Oxford University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.
Nicholas Lykiardopulo
Independent Chair
The Board
Christopher Buttery has over 40 years of experience in the shipping industry. He graduated from University College, Oxford, with a honours degree in Modern History and began his shipping career with Jardine, Matheson & Company Limited followed by Continental Grain. Chris later co-founded the original Pacific Basin business in 1987 with Belgian Shipping Partners which he listed on NASDAQ in 1994, and he was instrumental in re-establishing the current Pacific Basin in 1998 with Paul Over, which Goldman Sachs listed on the HKSE in 2004. He held various Executive positions at Pacific Basin including Deputy Chairman and Chairman until June 2007.
Mr Buttery has been Non-Executive Director of Fleming Japanese Smaller Companies Ltd, Ton Poh Emerging Companies Thailand, Senhouse Asia (now Waverton Asset Management) and firstly Chairman and then Non-Executive Director of Epic Gas Pte. He is currently Chairman of Taylor Maritime, a Non-Executive Director of Swire Bulk Shipping Pte. (John Swire & Co), and a Director of the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. He was a Trustee of the Hong Kong WWF for ten years.
Christopher Buttery
Non-Executive Director
The Board
Helen Tveitan is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Carisbrooke Shipping Holdings Ltd, a specialist owner / operator of mini bulk and project cargo ships controlling a fleet of 34 ships. From 2007 and prior to her CEO appointment, she served as Non-Executive Director for the company. Ms Tveitan has worked in the shipping industry since 1992 and started her career in ship finance with DVB Nedship Bank for whom she started the branch office in London in 1996. From 2001 onwards, she has held several positions as Finance Director for shipping companies, most notably for Eastern Bulk between 2010 and 2017. Helen has served as Non-Executive Director for Ardmore Shipping Corporation, a tanker owner listed on NYSE, since 2018. She is an economist, having graduated from Rotterdam’s Erasmus University in 1992.
Helen Tveitan
Independent Non-Executive Director
The Board
Trudi Clark graduated in Business Studies and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Robson Rhodes in Birmingham before moving to Guernsey in 1987. Here, she joined KPMG where she was responsible for an audit portfolio including some of the major financial institutions in Guernsey. After 10 years in public practice, she was recruited by the Bank of Bermuda as Head of European Internal Audit, later moving into corporate banking. In 1995 she joined Schroders in the Channel Islands as CFO. She was promoted in 2000 to Banking Director and Managing Director in 2003. From 2006 to 2009, Ms Clark established a family office, specialising in alternative investments. In recent years she returned to public practice specialising in corporate restructuring services, establishing the Guernsey practice of David Rubin & Partners Limited. Since 2018 Ms Clark has concentrated on a portfolio of Non-Executive Director appointments for companies both listed and non-listed investing in property, private equity and other assets. Ms Clark also hold a personal fiduciary licence issued by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and acts as Non-Executive Director and consultant to one high net worth family.
Trudi Clark
Independent Non-Executive Director
The Board
Sandra Platts is a resident of Guernsey and holds a Master's in Business Administration. Mrs. Platts joined Kleinwort Benson (CI) Ltd in 1986 and was appointed to the board in 1992. She undertook the role of Chief Operating Officer for the Channel Islands business and in 2000 for the Kleinwort Benson Private Bank Group - UK and Channel Islands. In January 2007, she was appointed to the position of Managing Director of the Guernsey Branch of Kleinwort Benson and was responsible for a strategic change programme as part of her role as Group Chief Operating Officer. Mrs. Platts also held directorships on the strategic holding board of the KB Group, as well as sitting on the Bank, Trust Company and Operational Boards. She resigned from these boards in 2010.
Mrs. Platts is a Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Fund (FTSE 250) and a Non-Executive Director of NB Monthly Income Fund Limited and UK Commercial Property REIT (all listed on the Main Market), Investec Bank (Channel Islands) Limited and Marble Point Loan Financing Limited (listed on the Specialist Fund Segment). She is a member of the Institute of Directors.
Sandra Platts
Independent Non-Executive Director