ICS Middle East Committee 2023/26
Mr. Ali Canani, FICS
Chairman of The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers - Middle East Branch
Ali Canani has been the youngest member on the team for the last two terms based on age
and experience but has many accolades to his name already. He won the President's Prize award (with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers) in 2014. Before being elected as the chairman of the branch, he has served as the ICS ME branch Treasurer since 2017.
He leads two companies actively; Al Canani Foodstuff Traders LLC (selling over 80,000 MT of dates per year) since 2003 and Red Pearl Logistics (which offers customs clearance and manages 14 trucks for transportation) since 2009.
He joined the ICS in 2014 after passing all 7 exams in 1 sitting and was awarded Fellowship in 2015. As a curious learner, he is passionate about learning through sharing. He has been a tutor of the branch since the day he passed the exams.
With a big welcoming smile on his face, he always looks forward to meeting new people and believes in creating value wherever he can.
Mr. Ravi Shankar, FICS
General Secretary - The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
He has over 2 decades of experience in Ship Sale & Purchase, New Building, Demolition,
and Chartering. He is a Member of ICS since 2011 and was elected as a Fellow of ICS in 2017. He is the Director of Eastgate Shipping LLC, Dubai, and helps his clients with the Buying and Selling of Ships (New Building, Second-hand Ships, Demolition).
He is also actively involved in Chartering.He extensively works with Shipowners, Investors, Traders, Demolition Cash Buyers, Charterers, Fund Houses, Banks, Shipyards, etc. He also supports them with Market Research and Analysis, Financial modeling, Ship valuations, Feasibility studies, and Consultancy. He is active in Tankers, Bulkers, containers, LPG Tankers, and Offshore vessels. He helps the ICS students in the tutorship Programme and teaches them Ship Sale and Purchase and Ship Finance. Before entering the Shipping industry, he qualified as a Mechanical Engineer and MBA from premier institutes in India.
Mr. Dinesh Lobo, FICS
Education Lead - The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Dinesh is a Fellow of the ICS, a postgraduate in Economics, and holds an MBA degree from Leicester University. His career in shipping has spanned 26 years starting in 1994 in Bombay port with one of India's leading agencies during which he handled a variety of ships including vegoil parcel tankers, LPG tankers, general cargo, bulk, cruise, and oilfield support vessels.
Since 1997 he has lived in Dubai with 11 years in ship operating and 12 years leading National Shipping Services LLC, a shipping agency company involved with varied ship types, feeders, mainline container, and iso tank line agencies, and activities in projects, forwarding, and logistics. His interests include music, sports, hiking, and long-distance adventure driving in other countries
Capt. Zarir Irani, MBA, Hon. FIIMS, FICS, FNI, HCMM
Events Lead - The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Capt. Zarir Irani Hon is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Constellation Marine Services, London & UAE. Honorary Fellow & Current Board member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)
Global Assurance committee member at Nautical Institute, UK, Past council member of Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers - UAE Branch Committee member. MD of Constellation Cyber Consultancy winning awards:
- Seatrade & Lloyds list 2021 winner,
- OJME winner in October 2022 of technological innovation.
Capt Irani completed an “In person” MBA specializing in “Services Marketing” between the years 2005 to 2007. Over 32 years of work experience in the Maritime insurance industry, of which 19 years as an independent surveyor having concluded 26,000 nominations as principal of Constellation Marine.
Mr. Sudesh Chaturvedi, FICS
Business Development Executive- The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Sudesh Chaturvedi is an accomplished Senior Management professional with over two decades of specialized experience in handling, managing, and developing special cargoes including O&G, Military/Classified, Plant & Machinery, RORO, Live Events, International Land Freight and more. Holding key roles in Gulf Agency Company (Dubai) LLC since 2002, he has a stellar track record of driving business development, CRM, and process improvements.
Sudesh has been instrumental in leading the teams towards organic growth and profitability, ensuring exceptional integrated service delivery to clients with more efficient market coverage. He is a Postgraduate in Business Administration with specialization in Marketing and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), London.
Beyond his educational and professional accomplishments, Sudesh is an active participant in industry boards and committees, including NAFL-UAE, DSAA, ICS Middle East and the ICC UAE (Customs & Trade Facilitation), and is multilingual, proficient in English, Hindi, and French, with elementary skills in Arabic and Urdu.
Sudesh is deeply passionate about Training / Mentorship and is an active member of the ICS-ME Tutorship group and heads the NAFL-UAE Training Committee. He is also the NAFL- UAE, honorary nominee @ the FIATA Logistics Institute, Zurich.
Mr.Thankachan Mandapathil Joy, FICS
Membership Lead- The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
He has over 3 decades of experience in Liner Shipping. He has been a Member of ICS since 2000 and was elected as a Fellow of ICS in 2016. He has been in UAE since 1989 and worked for United Arabs Shipping Company (Container, Chemical, and Bulk) for more than 26 years under various departments (Operations, Pricing, Commercial, Contracts, Management Reporting, Accounting, Treasury, Finance, Internal Audit, ERP Implementation etc.). He is presently the CEO of Hussain Al Shemsi Chartered Accountants, an audit firm in the UAE. He helps the ICS students as well as newcomers to the shipping industry to understand what is shipping, shipping accounts from the point of view of the agency and principal, shipping documentation and process flow, etc. He is also a consultant to many shipping and logistics companies in the Indian Sub-Continent, the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean.
He is also a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (since 1987) and Member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (since 2000). He loves and practices the great quote from Mother Theresa “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”
Mr.Vivek Sharma FICS
Treasurer- The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Vivek is a dedicated and experienced committee member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers-Middle East Branch. With a deep-rooted passion for the maritime industry and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, he brings valuable expertise and leadership to the organization.
Vivek is a Postgraduate in Business Administration with specialization in Marketing Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. He is self-motivated and a resourceful professional with shipping Industry knowledge and Agency Business knowhow. He has over 30 years of experience in Liner Industry, (containerized shipping), NVOCC Business and Freight Forwarding.
A passionate, inspiring, skilled communicator and a motivational leader who can manage cross-functional departments, Vivek has demonstrated a long track record of successfully managing the top shipping companies’ (PIL, COSCO, Wan Hai, Hapag Lloyd and KMTC) business in India and the UAE, with P&L responsibility. Currently employed with Rais Hassan Saadi (RHS) Group, he is heading Modern Shipping LLC- Agent for KMTC Line.
As a committee member, Vivek plays a vital role in shaping the direction and priorities of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. He actively contributes to committee meetings, policy development, educational initiatives, etc. and has made significant contributions to advancing the goals and objectives of the organization.