Shipbroker Lightship Chartering is plotting further expansion after appointing a new chief executive and hiring four more brokers.
The global shop said it is hiring Genco Shipping & Trading's Sune Fladberg as CEO.
Described by the company as "a highly talented freight executive, with previous roles as director and vice president for significant shipowners/operators", he will replace Gian Luca Garufi.
Garufi, a partner in the company, will resume responsibility for day-to-day trading.
Fladberg has been at Genco since May 2018, most recently as its managing director in Denmark.
He joined Clipper Group as a trainee in 2007, and gained extensive chartering experience in the ultramax, supramax and handysize markets.
He ended up as vice president and part of Clipper's global bulk management team and head of worldwide handysize chartering.
'Important step'
Lightship chairman Morten Have said: "This is an important step for Lightship.
"We have been growing immensely since 2015 and the company now has the management team in place to facilitate and support further expansion."
Fladberg added: "Having worked with Lightship for many years, I am extremely proud to join this company.
"The company has always been synonymous with high quality brokerage and we will strive to maintain this stature as we progress."
New recruits added in UK
The shipbroker has also been busy recruiting at other levels in the last month.
Brokers Adam Cook, Alex Whyte, Maxim Romce and Guy Heskins have all joined the desk in London, adding years of experience.
Lightship now has more than 10 brokers in the city, with further hires coming in the second quarter, it said.
It has also strengthened its financial department by bringing in Susanne Bonde as head of finance.
The brokerage specialises in dry bulk and tankers, which it will continue to develop.
And other "new and exciting projects" are in the pipeline, it added.
The company expects to open "yet another" office in the Asia/Middle East region this year, with more recruits also due there.
Lightship employs more than 100 people in eight offices around the globe.
In 2018, the company was in the midst of another expansion drive and TradeWinds reported that it was eyeing moves into sale and purchase and capesizes.
It added three experienced dry cargo brokers in Genoa from Clarksons.
The brokerage also opened its doors in Dubai for the first time, following on from setting up bases in London, Beijing and Genoa.
In 2015, it had just 24 brokers working dry bulk exclusively.
