Shipping financier Transport Capital has named Nikos Papanestis as the new head of its Greece business as it continues its global expansion.
Papanestis, who started the job on Wednesday, has worked for 18 years in shipping banking in London and Athens.
In his new role, Papanestis will drive business development and oversee administrative affairs in Greece, which Singapore-headquartered Transport Capital sees as a new and expanding market for the firm.
Sebastian Wittgenstein, Transport Capital’s head of Europe, said: “Nikos’ appointment marks a significant milestone for our company. He possesses a deep understanding of the market dynamics in Greece and a strong vision for the future.”
Papanestis was previously senior vice president and senior relationship manager at DNB Bank in London and Athens for more than 16 years.
He was instrumental in re-establishing the Norwegian bank’s presence in Athens.
While in the role, Papanestis worked to expand the lending and non-lending income of the Greek portfolio, focusing on sustainability-linked financing solutions and capital sourcing across regions.
He said: “I am very excited to join Transport Capital, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to drive innovation, enhance customer experiences and contribute to the company’s strategic goals in Greece.”
Transport Capital has made fresh efforts this year to establish a presence in key markets, continuing the expansion strategy that has been underway since 2020.
In June, it recruited Norwegian banking veteran Tom Kjeldsberg to launch its new Oslo office.
As well as the Norwegian capital, the firm has offices in Beijing, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Athens, New York and Geneva.
