Greek shipowner Navios Maritime Partners led-by Angeliki Frangou has revealed senior leadership changes to the company. The company is restructuring its team with a series of senior role changes marking a new chapter for the company under the leadership of its chairwoman and chief executive officer Angeliki Frangou.
At the centre of the move is the creation of a newly established executive office of the chairwoman Frangou where Ms. Vasiliki (Villy) Papaefthymiou and Mr. Shunji Sasada will report directly to her.
Papaefthymiou has been promoted to vice chairwoman of corporate transactions whilst Sasada has been named as vice chairman of commercial operations. In their new roles, Ms. Papaefthymiou and Mr. Sasada will be members of the newly established executive office of the chairwoman that will serve as a platform for the company’s senior leaders to advance the company’s long-term objectives.
In her new role, Papaefthymiou will leverage her 35 years of legal expertise having led the execution of complex capital markets, M&A and global shipping transactions across multiple jurisdictions. She joined the Navios Holdings in 2005 and served as general counsel for its predecessor and various entities in the group. She has been the secretary of Navios Partners since inception. She is also executive vice president-Legal and a member of Navios Holdings’ board of directors.
Frangou commented: “I have worked closely with Villy in the development of Navios Partners to what it is today relying on her expertise, strong drive and ability to bring complex transactions to a successful conclusion. Her exceptional dedication, professionalism and leadership have set a standard of excellence within our organization.”
Shunji Sasada has been named vice chairman of commercial operations, continuing his role in originating opportunities across the maritime sector. Sasada joined the company’s board in 2007 and also serves as a director of Navios Holdings. He joined Navios Holdings in 1997 and has since held a series of senior operational and commercial positions within the organization.
Navios has also promoted Anna Kalathakis to the new position of president of Navios Partners. In her new role, Ms. Kalathakis will work with the executive leadership team to execute on strategy, focus on management while refining operations towards building a more efficient company. Ms. Kalathakis brings over 30 years of diverse experience in the maritime industry, having held multiple leadership roles, most recently serving as chief legal risk officer at Navios Partners. She joined the Navios Group in 2005.
Frangou said Ms. Kalathakis is the right leader as the company pushes ahead in what she described as a “highly dynamic maritime industry.”
As part of this next generation of leadership, Navios Partners is also elevating several senior executives to further integrate its dry bulk, container and tanker platforms.
Sophia Tavla has been appointed senior vice president and head of the corporate legal group, with responsibility for legal and business affairs, including corporate governance and SEC reporting. Ms. Tavla will also serve as a key advisor to the executive leadership team.
Alexandros Tsakonas moves into the role of senior vice president, where he will in charge of the legal risk management. In this role, Mr Tsakonas will be responsible for the overall risk management of transactions and company operations.
Furthermore, Grigoris Tzifas has been appointed senior vice president – finance, where he will be responsible for financial planning & analysis, including budgets, forecasts, and management reporting. He will also focus on accounting, including month‑end close, financial statements, internal controls, and audit coordination, and assist in tax planning, insurance and regulatory filings.
“With these promotions, we will continue to build optionality in chartering and capital allocation across market cycles through our diversified fleet while optimizing leverage and liquidity. In parallel, we are also advancing operational efficiency, environmental performance, and safety through the ongoing digital transformation of our business,” Frangou said.
