Commodities-focused Marex is expanding its business in Norway by hiring a number of experienced brokers from the clean products desk of rival Clarksons Platou Tankers.
Among the new hires are Espen Arentz-Grastvedt and Tom Ranum, who will be based in Oslo. Both will have a mandatory gardening leave period after Clarksons.
London-headquartered Marex recently changed its name from Marex Spectron.
The company entered tanker broking four years ago and has recruited some shipbrokers from Braemar ACM Shipbroking among other London-based firms.
Other additions have included John Robin Pettersen, from broking firm Infinity Shipbrokers, who will be employed at Marex's Oslo office. Also, Mauritz Wahl has been recruited from Clarksons' Oslo team.
Several of the brokers that Marex has hired have previously worked for shipbroker O-J Libaek & Partners, including both Arentz-Grastvedt and Ranum.
Marex's Oslo operation will be co-located in the office space of Nordic Shipping, a shipbroker specialising in projects and sale and purchase of ships.
Halvor Boe, the head of Nordic Shipping, said the new set-up with Marex is very positive and said the service on the tanker side in Oslo will improve for the customers.
Jeremy Elliot, who is global head of energy at Marex, said he sees exciting potential for tanker broking in Oslo, but the firm plans additional expansion at its offices in Singapore and Houston.
Marex's core business is in freight derivatives and forward contracts on the energy side, he said.
The company is a global commodities brokerage with 18 offices around the world. It has significant market share in major agricultural, metal and energy products.
