ICS Middle East Committee 2026/29
Mr. Ravi Shankar FICS
Chairman of The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers - Middle East Branch
Ravi Shankar became a Member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers in 2011 and a Fellow (FICS) in 2017. He has served ICS Middle East as General Secretary, Vice Chairman, and now Chairman for the 2026 term. As principal instructor for Ship Sale and Purchase in the PQE programme, he trains dozens of students every year, helping candidates across the Middle East earn their ICS qualifications. He also runs masterclasses and corporate training, in person and online, for maritime professionals across the region.
Outside the Institute, Ravi is the Founder and Managing Director of Aarush Maritime Services, a Dubai-headquartered world-class shipbroking and consultancy firm built on Expertise, Integrity, and Innovation, with a dedicated team of highly qualified maritime professionals. He brings 25 years of hands-on experience, including senior roles at some of the world's most respected shipping and maritime companies. Aarush serves clients across Ship Sale and Purchase, Newbuilding, Chartering, Commercial Management, and Maritime Advisory in dry, wet, and specialised tonnage.
Ravi is also Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Shipfinex, the Dubai-based regulated platform opening fractional ship ownership through Maritime Asset Tokens on blockchain infrastructure. The platform received In-Principle Approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in January 2026. The idea is as bold as it is overdue: ships carry over 90% of global trade and represent a multi-trillion dollar asset class, yet ownership has always sat behind closed doors. Shipfinex is opening them.
As Chairman, Ravi has set out a clear vision for the 2026 term: From Qualification to Career. From Membership to Community. From Knowledge to Leadership. His focus is on deepening the branch's education ecosystem, expanding ICS qualifications across the wider GCC, and building a leadership pipeline for the next generation of maritime professionals.
A Mechanical Engineer and MBA from premier institutes in India, he considers the teaching and mentoring side of his work as important as anything he does commercially.
Capt. Zarir Irani, MBA, Hon. FIIMS, FICS, FNI, HCMM
Head Membership & Networking -
The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
• The Chair at Board of Directors at Constellation Marine Services, London & UAE
• Ambassador of Baltic Expert Witness Asso. (B.E.W.A.) for Middle East
• Exclusive Deputy Registrar of Antiqua and Barbuda Maritime Registry (a whitelisted flag)
• Honorary Fellow & Current Board member of International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)
• Fellow Nautical Institute, UK & current UAE Branch Chairman from 2024 onwards.
• Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers - UAE Branch Committee member.(second term)
With 34 years of experience, Zarir Irani has spent the last 22 years in UAE of which 19 years as an entrepreneur.
A Master Mariner with command experience & holding a valid Master Mariner COC from UK MCA license (until 2027) for unlimited vessel size and geographical area and with over 36 years of work experience in the maritime and yacht industry, Capt. Irani is the founder of a leading Marine Surveying firm M/s. Constellation Marine Services LLC.
He has overseen over 32,000 independent global claim consultancy nominations since 2007. As Deputy Registrar Capt Zarir registers mortgages and secures the terms as per law of Antigua & Barbuda which is a common wealth jurisdiction.
Capt. Irani was invited in 2022 to join the advisory committee of Lloyds Register Marine and Shipping (MEA) and technical committee of ABS (MENA) in 2024. All registry documentation is issued from UAE at Constellations Business Bay office.
Mr. Krishna Prasad FICS
Head – Professional Development & Industry Outreach - The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Dr. Krishna Prasad has over 35 years of association with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and is a Fellow of both ICS and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). He holds a PhD in Commercial Shipping and is a Professor of Practice at AMET University, India.
He is currently involved in an international research collaboration with the World Maritime University (Malmö), Sharjah Maritime Academy, and Panthéon-Sorbonne University (Paris). A former Chairman of the ICS Middle East Branch, he has also served on the Institute’s Controlling Council, Executive Council, and Education & Training Committee.
Dr. Prasad is the Vice Chair of the Commission on Customs & Trade Facilitation at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC UAE), a Board Member of the National Association of Freight and Logistics, and an Industry Advisor to Sharjah Maritime Academy. He regularly speaks at international maritime conferences and conducts corporate and industry training programs.
Ms. Shalini Muralidharan FICS
Head Education and Academic Affairs -
The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
With over two decades of experience in the shipping industry, she is currently the Managing Director of Creare Vincere Sea Shipping Co. LLC (CVSS), specializing in Dry Bulk and Break Bulk Broking, Project Logistics, Freight Forwarding, and Logistics solutions. She has extensive operational and commercial experience across the maritime sector and was awarded the Regional Prize for Port Agency in 2016 by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers – Middle East Branch.
She has been a member of ICS since 2016 and actively contributed to the Middle East Branch. She previously served as an Elected Committee Member (2020–2023) and held the role of Membership Lead, where she contributed towards student support, membership engagement, corporate outreach, sponsorships, honorary memberships for industry veterans, and various branch initiatives.
Mr. K. P. Sreekumar Menon FICS
Head – Student Affairs & Community Engagement -
The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
K.P. Sreekumar Menon is a maritime professional with over 30 years of experience across offshore and onshore shipping operations. With expertise in ship management, voyage finance, port operations, and global disbursement management, he has worked with leading international maritime organizations in the UAE, India, and onboard foreign-going vessels. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (UK), he is recognized for his strong industry knowledge, leadership, and commitment to operational excellence in the shipping and logistics sector.He is currently employed with Bahri Ship Management/Dubai.
Ms. Janani Yagnamurthy FICS
General Secretary - The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Janani Yagnamurthy is a dynamic maritime professional and Senior Vice President, Product, Strategic Growth, Marcura, where she leads cutting-edge digital transformation initiatives in Marcura Group. With a focus on building vertical AI solutions tailored to the maritime sector, she has helped uncover new opportunities for operators, traders, and charterers empowering them to make sharper commercial decisions, reduce operational friction, and proactively manage risks.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (FICS) and an accomplished specialist in Dry Cargo Chartering and Ports & Terminal Management, Janani blends deep industry expertise with a forward-thinking, data-driven mindset. Her professional portfolio spans digital chartering & operations, port and terminal management, and dry cargo chartering.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Janani heads the Understanding Shipping program at ICS Middle East and is deeply committed to community building and mentoring, inspiring the next generation of maritime professionals to excel.
Mr.Vivek Sharma FICS
Treasurer- The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Middle East Branch
Vivek Sharma is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (FICS) and is currently serving his second term as Treasurer on the ICS Middle East Branch Executive Committee. With over three decades of senior leadership experience in container liner shipping across the Indian Sub-continent and the UAE, Vivek is a trusted voice in the regional maritime community.
An MBA graduate, Vivek has successfully lead businesses with full P&L responsibility for leading global carriers, including PIL, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, and KMTC. Currently, Vivek serves as the Owner's Representative for Sinotrans Container Lines Co. Ltd. in the UAE, a role in which he continues to drive commercial excellence and operational integrity for one of China's premier shipping enterprises.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Vivek remains actively involved in advancing maritime education and industry development through the ICS. As a tutor for ICS courses and a long-serving committee member, he contributes to policy initiatives, professional development programs, and the Institute’s strategic direction.
A national scholarship awardee and former state rank holder during his academic years, Vivek brings the same discipline and dedication to everything he does.
Defined by integrity, adaptability, and a collaborative spirit, Vivek Sharma continues to make a meaningful impact on the maritime industry across the Middle East and beyond and exemplifies the highest standards of the chartered shipbroker profession.