Norwegian shipping investor Tor Olav Troim has poached a prominent Clarksons banker to bolster his own operations.
Magnus Halvorsen, head of capital markets for Clarksons Platou Securities, has joined up with Troim after handling his accounts for the financial arm of the world’s largest shipbroker.
The departure was confirmed today by Erik Helberg, chief executive officer of Clarksons Platou Securities.
Helberg noted that he and Halvorsen had worked together for almost 15 years, most of it with the former RS Platou Markets before its merger with Clarksons in 2014 and originally with yet another Norwegian house, Pareto.
“Since the merger he pretty much had made the full transition to investment banking and was working as a banker in a team closely together with me, focusing predominantly on shipping projects,” Helberg said.
“And as of late (he was focusing) a lot towards the client — Tor Olav — for whom he is going to start working,” Helberg said.
Since splitting with longtime partner John Fredriksen in 2014, Troim has led liquefied natural gas player Golar LNG and more recently fledgling offshore outfit Borr Drilling, which has just raised $800m with the help of Clarksons Platou.
Fredriksen, the world’s most famous shipowner, has had less to do with Clarksons Platou after confirming in December that he had stopped nearly 50 years of doing business with the giant brokerage.
At the time, sources threw cold water on suggestions Fredriksen ditched Clarksons because it had brokered two jack-up rigs to Troim.
“I will be sad to see (Halvorsen) leave and I wish him the best of luck,” Helberg said. “With him now moving, nothing could be better than him joining a good client.
“I am sure he will be working together with us also in the future.”
