Marc Van Mael

'Bringing ideas and people together to create value.'

Bringing ideas and people together to create value is the common thread in my career. My passion lies in making good ideas tangible and realizing synergy that is fruitful for all involved. When the right people and ideas come together, something special is created: 1 + 1 gives more than 2.

My career started in 1976 in an Antwerp maritime office, and in 1978 I moved to London, where I worked as a shipbroker on the Baltic Exchange. In 1982 I joined the Belgian shipbroker Sobelnord nv (°1969) where I eventually became the owner. During my more than 40-year career as shipbroker and entrepreneur I have always strived to create value for all parties involved.
Besides the shipping deals of which I closed many over the years with Greek, Norwegian and Belgian shipowners and the big players in the world of traders, steel and mining companies, we also invested our funds and knowledge in other things that further broadened my horizons.
We founded and sold as Sobelnord the largest bitumen terminals in the Black Sea, we saved and sold an industrial thermal cleaning company in Belgium. Through Arsac our family holding company, we founded and sold a major marine insurance brokerage and recently through a merger brought an industrial air purification company to the stock exchange in Finland.
Over the past 10 years I have used my experience, network and resources through my holding company to create new value. I have done this by co-founding several start-up companies and participating in several quality investment funds as an advisor.
All this has been made possible by a combination of good ideas, innovative approaches, reliable partners, a bit of luck, and very hard work.

At JBR, I enjoy working as a consultant in the maritime and offshore sector. With more than 40 years of experience and an extensive network in this sector, I can add real value. JBR has clout and in the areas of corporate finance, strategy and restructuring is not only of high quality, but also extremely successful.

Yet my most valuable "merger" took place 26 years ago, with the formation of my blended family with four beautiful children. True synergy in life is priceless!