Shipbroker Gibson is making a fresh move into the LNG sector and has installed a four-man team to lead its efforts, as part of an overall growth strategy.
The UK-headquartered brokerage has appointed sale-and-purchase broker Gerrit Stricker as its new head of LNG.
Stricker, who has been with Gibson for five years, has already been dabbling in the sector, transacting some LNG S&P deals with associated time charter business in his former role.
A Bayes Business School graduate, he has previously worked with ICAP, Lomar, SSY and Breakwater Shipbrokers.
Stricker is teamed with a well-known LNG industry broker, Romain Grandbesancon, who takes on the position of senior LNG shipbroker.
Grandbesancon has racked up 25 years working in LNG with big-name shops BRS Shipbrokers, Poten & Partners and Clarksons.
The new team will be assisted by Gibson research analyst Matt Coates, who will now be dedicated to LNG working out of the London office.
Singapore-based LNG business developer Tonci Tokic will complete the team. He is currently working on an LNG infrastructure project in South East Asia.
‘Foot in the door’
This is not the first time Gibson has set up an LNG team, but it has not had dedicated personnel working in the sector for several years.
Gibson director Richard Matthews told TradeWinds that the brokerage has been “keeping its foot in the door” on LNG, pointing to some of the deals Stricker has concluded. He said the shop has also kept its research going and done consulting work on the sector.
Matthews said the combination of Stricker’s experience at Gibson and LNG deals with Grandbesancon’s standing in and knowledge of the market gives the company the best combination.
Having a team of four to launch the desk provides good critical mass, he said, and the firm will probably add more brokers to its LNG team over the coming year.
Matthews said Gibson, where Roger Harrison took over as managing director at the beginning of 2022, has been looking at its long-term strategy, and LNG is part of that growth plan.
