Change at the top for Danish naval architect

On 1 March 2025, Javier Suárez succeeded Finn Wollesen Petersen as managing director of Knud E Hansen, a maritime consultancy providing ship design, engineering and shipyard support.

Both men have worked closely together to facilitate a smooth transition in leadership, enabling Mr Petersen to rebuild the business in North America.

“The coronavirus pandemic had an adverse effect on our mainly cruise focused operations in the US,” said Mr Petersen. “My focus now will be bringing our activities back to their full potential.”

Mr Suárez joined Knud E Hansen in 2017 as operations director. He has a Masters in naval architecture and marine engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and started his maritime career following graduation in 1995.

Knud E Hansen has offices in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, UK, Spain, the US and Australia, and more than 100 employees.

“My role now is to continue this work, keeping Knud E Hansen close to its clients around the world and maintaining our focus on the many maritime sectors we serve, including the passenger and offshore wind segments where we have enjoyed so many successes in recent years,” said Mr Suárez.