The Costas Grammenos Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance holds 10th City of London Biennial
Landmark event was held at the International Maritime Organisation
Global business leaders, diplomats, policymakers and senior academics gathered at the International Maritime Organisation on the 12th and 13th of June for the 10th City of London Biennial Meeting.
Organised by the Costas Grammenos Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance at Bayes Business School and sponsored by the Maria Tsakos Foundation, the Biennial focused on the theme of ‘A Changing World – Adapt to Succeed’.
Over two days, the Meeting welcomed over 600 people and 60 distinguished speakers, most of whom are alumni of the Centre.
Illustrious history
Sessions at the Meeting included: World Economy; Investment Banking and Finance; Environment, Regulations and Governance; Overview of some Aspects of Current Energy Markets; Tanker Market; Dry Market; Shipping Finance I: Banking; and Shipping Finance II: Capital Markets.
Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein CBE FREng, President of City, University of London, spoke about the Centre’s various initiatives and announced the commencement of the Biennial Meeting.
Caption: Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein CBE FREng, President of City, University of London, speaks at the Biennial.
Professor André Spicer, Dean of Bayes Business School, also spoke about the Centre, and how its research has helped to drive fundamental changes in the industry. He also touched on big emerging questions around the future of shipping, and notably spoke about how, once steamships started to catch up with sailing ships, that was when you saw the most innovation occurring with sailing ship technology. He said this gave birth to the ‘sailing ship effect’, which is a phenomenon by which the introduction of a new technology to a market accelerates the innovation of an incumbent technology.
Caption: Professor André Spicer, Dean of Bayes Business School, delivers his opening remarks.
Professor Costas Th Grammenos CBE DSc, Biennial Founder and Founding Chairman of the eponymous Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance, opened proceedings by reflecting on the Centre’s very successful work in research and teaching over 39 years. He said:
“All of our developments are interrelated, and they have one target - creation. We will discuss these things next year at the Triennial Meeting in Athens, where we are going to celebrate our 40th anniversary. I would like to thank City, University of London and Bayes Business School because they have given us the environment to flourish, and many thanks to our graduates who maintain strong links with our Centre.”
Caption: Professor Costas Th Grammenos CBE DSc, Biennial Founder and Founding Chairman of the Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance, talks to the attendees.
The Biennial was honoured by His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain, and he also delivered a blessing at the Biennial.
Discussing global economic issues
Delegates then heard opening remarks from Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach during the first session of the Biennial Meeting, and he reflected on his long involvement with the Centre, as well as the current state of the global economy. He then kicked off the Meeting by chairing an extended discussion on the topic with four graduates and other distinguished Bayes academics and partners: Mr Arjun Batra, Chairman, Drewry Shipping Consultants, (MSc STF 1987); Mr Emad Mansour, Founder & CEO, Audacia Capital, (MSc STF 1991); Mr Sanjay Mehta, Founder & Managing Partner - S ONE, (MSc STF 1993); Dr Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President, Onassis Foundation; Professor Martin Stopford, Executive Director, MarEcon Ltd and Visiting Professor at Bayes; Dr Nikolas P. Tsakos, President & CEO, Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd., (MSc STF 1985); and Professor Charles Baden-Fuller, Centenary Chair in Strategy, Bayes Business School, City, University of London.
Caption: From left to right: Mr Emad Mansour, Mr Sanjay Mehta, Mr Arjun Batra, Dr Nikolas P. Tsakos, Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, Dr Anthony S. Papadimitriou, Professor Martin Stopford, Professor Charles Baden-Fuller.
View the full programme and list of speakers. Find out more about the Centre.