Diana Shipping announced that, effective August 1, 2018, the Company increased the size of its Board of Directors from nine to eleven members.
The global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels appointed Christos Glavanis to serve as a Class I Director and appointed Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to serve as a Class III director, in each case effective August 1, 2018.
The Board has determined that Glavanis is an “independent director” as such term is defined under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the New York Stock Exchange Listing Manual.
Christos Glavanis has over 30 years of experience in the audit profession, serving in several senior roles at Ernst & Young, including as Chairman and Managing Partner of EY Greece from 1987 to 2010 and Managing Partner of EY South East Europe from 1996 to 2010. Glavanis was also a main Board Member of EY EMEIA Regional and a member of EY Global Council. Currently, Glavanis is a non-executive board member of W S Karoulias S.A., a beverage distribution company based in Athens, Greece and BuyaPowa Ltd., a London, England based online platform allowing users to design, launch, and analyze social sales campaigns.
Andreas Michalopoulos has served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since March 8, 2006 and also has served in these positions with Diana Containerships Inc. since January 13, 2010.
From 2000 to 2002, he worked for McKinsey and Company in Paris, France, as an Associate Generalist Consultant before joining a major Greek Pharmaceutical Group with U.S. R&D activity as a Vice President of International Business Development and Member of the Executive Committee in 2002 where he remained until 2005. From 2005 to 2006, he joined Diana Shipping Agencies S.A. as a Project Manager. Michalopoulos is married to the youngest daughter of Mr. Simeon Palios, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman.
In addition, effective August 1, 2018, Ioannis Zafirakis was appointed to the new position of Chief Strategy Officer of the Company. Mrs. Semiramis Paliou was appointed to succeed Zafirakis as Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Zafirakis and Mrs. Paliou both currently serve as members of the Board.
Finally, the Board has increased the size of its Executive Committee from three to five members, and has appointed Andreas Michalopoulos and Mrs. Semiramis Paliou as members of the Executive Committee, effective August 1, 2018.
