Judges
The Judging Committee is responsible to judge the finalists and the winners of each ESG category. Strict rules of confidentiality and conflict of interest apply both for the Judging Committee and the selection process.
Once the selection process is completed, finalists will be informed individually.
Nicholas Pfaff
Deputy CEO, Head of Sustainable Finance International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
Nicholas Pfaff
Deputy CEO, Head of Sustainable Finance
International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
Nicholas Pfaff is a Deputy Chief Executive and at the Head of Sustainable Finance at the International
Capital Market Association (ICMA). He is the Secretary of the Green, Social, Sustainability and
Sustainability-linked Bond Principles and a member of the European Commission’s Platform on
Sustainable Finance (PSF). He also oversees ICMA’s Paris office. Nicholas is a senior banker with
extensive international experience in investment banking and capital markets, as well as in
development banking. He has worked previously at Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas and the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Martha Selwyn
Manager Ocean and Climate at the United Nations Global Compact
Martha Selwyn
Manager Ocean and Climate at the United Nations Global Compact
In her role she works with companies and policymakers across the ocean economy – including stakeholders from shipping, ports and offshore wind – to support the implementation of ambitious sustainability goals, including climate and biodiversity targets and human and labour rights. At present, Martha leads work on the social-climate nexus with the Maritime Just Transition Task Force established at COP 26 by industry, the UN and social partners. She also leads work on the energy transition with a focus on offshore wind and marine planning.
Before holding her position at the UN, Martha completed her Master of Public Policy with a Summa Cum Laude Honours at Sciences Po, Paris. During her studies, Martha led the Paris chapter of the Berlin-based think-tank ‘The Policy Corner’ and was a researcher for London-based Think-Tank ‘Engage Britain’. Prior to Sciences Po, Martha spent one year at the Berlin-based public affairs consultancy KekstCNC in 2017-18 and one year with MICHEL International Relations and Services at the German Foreign Office supporting the G20 summit preparations. She completed her First Class undergraduate studies in German and Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh from 2012-2016.
Andreas A. Papandreou
Professor of Environmental Economics
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Andreas A. Papandreou
Professor of Environmental Economics
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Andreas A. Papandreou is a Professor in the Economics Department of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He received his B.Sc. in Economics from the University of London, Queen Mary College and his M.Sc. in Economics from London School of Economics. He became a Doctor of Philosophy at Merton College, Oxford University, in 1990. Dr. Papandreou has over 30 years of academic experience in various Universities, including University College London and Harvard. His research and published work are mostly in the fields of environmental economics, institutional economics, political economy, and welfare economics. Among his publications are “Externality and Institutions” (1998) Oxford University Press. He is a member of the Climate Change Impacts Study Committee (CCISC) of the Bank of Greece that completed the first comprehensive study of the impacts of climate change on Greece, prepared the Greek National Adaptation Plan and recently published the Economics of Climate Change. He is the Director of the MSc in Philosophy and Management at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He is the Director of the Political Economy of Sustainable Development Lab (PESD) at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Co-chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Greece (SDSN Greece). Professor Papandreou is a sustainability consultant for the global shipping company Star Bulk.
Kostas G. GKONIS, PhD
Director / Secretary General of INTERCARGO
Kostas G. GKONIS, PhD
Director / Secretary General of INTERCARGO
Kostas has a long-term vision for the industry and an organisation’s role in it, and as a leader and manager he likes to think both strategically and operationally. Kostas enjoys challenging the status quo, introducing organisational improvements and innovations to progress a business and revamp it internally and externally.
Kostas is passionate about sustainability, ESG, and innovation, having worked for over 20 years in the shipping industry and energy before that, and on varying topics from maritime policy, environmental soundness and decarbonisation to market dynamics and intelligence. His background ranges from engineering and operations research to business and corporate responsibility.
He holds the position of Director / Secretary General of INTERCARGO since Oct. 2016. During his time, the Association’s membership has more than doubled to currently bringing together 250 forward thinking companies from 30 countries in uniting and promoting quality dry bulk shipping.
J.A.A.J. (Jan) Fransen
Executive Director – Green Award
J.A.A.J. (Jan) Fransen
Executive Director – Green Award Foundation
J.A.A.J. (Jan) Fransen, born 19 March 1958 in The Netherlands, always has been interested in shipping. So logically he choose for a career at sea and served in the Dutch merchant navy for about 12 years. Due to the recession in the Dutch maritime sector in the eighties, he became involved with Vessel Traffic Management systems with the Dutch Ministry of Transport and finally with the Port of Rotterdam. From his position as Traffic Manager and Casualty Officer with the Port of Rotterdam, Jan became acquainted with the ISO 9000 and 14000 systems, ISM and ISRS (International Safety Rating System) as well as auditing these systems. From here he became involved with the set-up of the Green Award Scheme and was employed by the Green Award Foundation since 1994. First Certification Manager and since 2005 Executive Director.
Apart from Green Award Jan is also active within the Environmental Ship Index program as well as within Equasis.
In the opinion of Jan Fransen, schemes like Green Award contribute to motivation and differentiation in Quality Shipping. The market mechanism (>175 incentive providers granting benefits for Green Award certified vessels (inland and ocean)) created by Green Award will result in a preference for Quality Tonnage on the charter market and elimination of substandard tonnage. Sustainable developments in maritime transport will be achieved. The UN-SDG’s are like a compass for his and the team course towards the future.
Manolis St. Koutoulakis
Secretary General of the Aegean and Island Policy
Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy
Manolis St. Koutoulakis
Secretary General of the Aegean and Island Policy
MINISTRY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS AND INSULAR POLICY
Manolis Koutoulakis serves as a General Secretary of Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy responsible for the Aegean and Island Policy. Holds a Degree in Spatial & Urban Planning and Regional Development (Dip. Eng.) and has a MSc in Spatial Planning and Regional Policy. He is PhD candidate in International and European Relations at the University of Piraeus specialized in the research and analysis of the spatial and economic impacts of selected European policies in Greece.
He served as a Special Advisor at the Ministry of Development and Competitiveness (2010-2012) on issues related to the evaluation of Public and Private Investments, preparation of special funding schemes for entrepreneurship and monitoring of implementation of Public Investments Program.
During the period 2014-2015 he was a Special Advisor at the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Welfare in the field of policy analysis and planning of Social Economy Programs, design of specific measures on the promotion of employment, formulation of Sectoral funding policy on Lifelong learning and Youth Guarantee Action Plan.
He has participated as an expert in International and European Organizations on public sector reforms projects with an emphasis on Local Development and Public Administration. He has also participated or coordinated the implementation of numerous development studies and programs for Municipalities, Regions and has acquired specialization in European funding, strategic and operational planning for public authorities regarding blue growth, insularity and localization of EU cohesion policy.
He was the head of the Liaison and Innovation Office at the University of Piraeus (2017-2019) and coordinator of the European Information Centre of European Commission Initiative “Europe Direct” for Piraeus and the Islands of Attica.
From July 2019 until April 2021 served as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy on the management of European Policies for the sectors of shipping, maritime transport, maritime security and surveillance along with blue economy, insularity and management of the digital transformation of the Ministry. He was the head of the team responsible for the drafting and final presentation of the new legal framework on the Integrated Maritime Policy in the Insular Territory (Law 4770/2021).
J.A.A.J. (Jan) Fransen
Executive Director – Green Award
J.A.A.J. (Jan) Fransen
Executive Director – Green Award Foundation
J.A.A.J. (Jan) Fransen, born 19 March 1958 in The Netherlands, always has been interested in shipping. So logically he choose for a career at sea and served in the Dutch merchant navy for about 12 years. Due to the recession in the Dutch maritime sector in the eighties, he became involved with Vessel Traffic Management systems with the Dutch Ministry of Transport and finally with the Port of Rotterdam. From his position as Traffic Manager and Casualty Officer with the Port of Rotterdam, Jan became acquainted with the ISO 9000 and 14000 systems, ISM and ISRS (International Safety Rating System) as well as auditing these systems. From here he became involved with the set-up of the Green Award Scheme and was employed by the Green Award Foundation since 1994. First Certification Manager and since 2005 Executive Director.
Apart from Green Award Jan is also active within the Environmental Ship Index program as well as within Equasis.
In the opinion of Jan Fransen, schemes like Green Award contribute to motivation and differentiation in Quality Shipping. The market mechanism (>175 incentive providers granting benefits for Green Award certified vessels (inland and ocean)) created by Green Award will result in a preference for Quality Tonnage on the charter market and elimination of substandard tonnage. Sustainable developments in maritime transport will be achieved. The UN-SDG’s are like a compass for his and the team course towards the future.
