Our staff

Oceanwide staff

The polar regions are what we do. From our expert expedition guides to our impeccable crew to our diversely skilled office staff, the OEX team is all about giving you the utmost experience of the Arctic, Antarctica, and the sub-Antarctic. Seasoned passengers of our own epic voyages, we bring to the table not only a love of the exotic polar world but also a combined wealth of expertise unrivaled by any other polar tour operator. Join us on one of our adventurous voyages, and let us share with you all there is to see, do, and explore in Earth’s most remote frontiers.

Expedition staff

  • Eduardo Rubio
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Guatemalan

Eduardo is an astronomer with a passion for sharing nature with others. After studying physics, he got his PhD in Astronomy from the University of Amsterdam in 2010.

He followed his postdoctoral position by becoming a lecturer of physics and astronomy as well as an expedition guide. In 2018, he became a full-time Oceanwide guide in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Eduardo’s interests vary from astronomy to the history of exploration. During his voyages, he offers lectures about polar explorers, Antarctic research (particularly in astronomy), oceanography, and other topics.

He especially loves showing constellations to our guests while at sea, pointing out their names and lore. Eduardo always aims to raise enthusiasm for and awareness of science, highlighting the unique and fragile planet that supports us.

Born in Guatemala in 1978, Eduardo speaks Spanish, English, and German.

  • Florence Kuyper
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch

Florence is a world traveler with a passion for the polar regions, remote nature, deserts, history, and nomadic peoples.

  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British

Since Adam was young, he dreamed of working in the Antarctic like his uncle, who had worked there in the late 1980s.

Read an interview here >
  • Jan Belgers
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Christian Engelke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German
  • Marcel Paul
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Ali Liddle
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Claudio Ghiglione
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Italian
  • Hans Verdaat
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Pippa Low
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
  • Rinie van Meurs
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sara Jenner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Philipp Schaudy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Austrian
Read more >

Activity staff

  • Henrik Enckell
  • Function: Dive Team Leader & Advisor
  • Nationality: Swedish

Henrik is an experienced dive leader, rebreather instructor trainer, and one of the first dive masters to bring tourists diving in Antarctica.

Henrik has been diving for over 25 years and teaches all levels of recreational and technical diving up to Advanced Trimix CCR.

He runs the IART (International Association of Rebreather Trainers) Regional Office for Northern Europe and is a member of the IART Board of Advisors.

Henrik is a keen wreck diver and has been involved in deep-wreck expeditions all over the world. Some of the interesting wrecks he has visited are the WW2 disasters General von Steuben and Wilhelm Gustloff in the Baltic as well as the HMS Victoria ("the vertical wreck") at 145 meters (475 feet) off the Lebanese coast.

His interest in both the ocean and space has engaged him in projects with the European Space Agency (Mars500 Project) and SeaSpace Exploration and Research Society (Project Poseidon), among others.

He has a military background, having served in peace keeping and enforcing missions in the Middle East and former Yugoslavia.

He has been leading dive expeditions in Antarctica and the Arctic for almost 20 years in remote and challenging waters, many of which have never been dived before.

Henrik holds an M.Sc. Degree in Electrical Engineering and works in the automotive industry when not traveling the polar regions.

He has lived and worked in Tokyo for two years but currently lives in India with his wife, three teenage daughters, and five-year-old son.

  • Michael Green
  • Function: Dive Team Leader and Advisor
  • Nationality: British

Michael began diving in 1980, training with the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Harbour.

Captains

  • Evgeny Levakov
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian

Evgeny Levakov was born in a small village not far from Nerekhta, an ancient Russian town in the Kostroma region. The closest water to his village was a 15,000 square-meter pond.

His family had no relationship with the sea, but when his third grade teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, Evgeny’s answer was clear: “A sailor.”

The teacher replied that this profession did not exist in their area, but young Evgeny was unconvinced. After his mandatory time in the army, he enrolled in Murmansk’s Highest Engineering Marine School to start his naval career.

Evgeny went to sea after graduating, starting in 1984 as third officer on a fleet of fishing vessels in the city of Murmansk. During that time he sailed the waters of Antarctica, South Georgia, the Southern Orkneys, and Elephant Island.

From 1994 to 2000 he worked as chief officer on m/v Professor Molchanov for expedition cruise companies like Quark, Aurora, and Oceanwide. He was promoted to captain soon after.

In the fall of 2010, Evgeny started on m/v Plancius. His main navigational areas are the Arctic and Antarctica, including the Ross Sea and Dumont d’Urville Sea. He’s also sailed the islands of Papua New Guinea and the Amazon River between Belem and Iquitos.

Evgeny has been married since 1978 and considers this the best decision he’s ever made. He has two sons and is the proud grandfather of four grandchildren.

Read an interview here >
  • Ernesto Barria
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Chilean

Ernesto Barria was born in Santiago, Chile, into a family with strong bonds to the sea: His father, grandfather, and several uncles all share a love of the ocean.

Read an interview here >
  • Remmert Koster
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Dutch

Remmert Koster was born in the Netherlands, and from a young age he was convinced he would become a captain.

  • Joachim Schiel
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: German
  • Arthur Yakovlev
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian
  • Toni Salo
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Finnish

Office

Head Office:
Fax: +31 (0)118 410 417
USA & Canada reservations:
Fax: +1 (0)281 749 8220
  • Kees Matthes
  • Function: Nautical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Nyrée Siereveld-Verstraete
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • John Yeh
  • Function: Sales Representative China & South Asia & Oceania
  • Nationality: Chinese
  • Michel van Gessel
  • Function: Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Teun van ‘t Verlaat
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Toto Vermue
  • Function: Sales Accountmanager
  • Nationality: Dutch
Read more >
  • Sebastiaan Schijf
  • Function: Financial Controller
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Femke Wolfert
  • Function: Staffing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Alexandra den Dikken
  • Function: Senior Graphic Designer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Grace Vidal
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Loraine van Huizen
  • Function: Online Marketeer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Maria del Pilar Fernandez
  • Function: International Sales Manager
  • Nationality: Chilean
Read more >
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: CXO - Head of Expedition Operations
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Ko de Korte
  • Function: Consultant
  • Nationality: Dutch
Read more >
  • Danique van Burken
  • Function: Senior Marketing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Andreas Diesing
  • Function: Key Account Manager for the German speaking countries
  • Nationality: German
  • Piet Vink
  • Function: Managing Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Stefan Pruimboom
  • Function: Staffing and Operations Advisor
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Marina Joglar
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Franklin Braeckman
  • Function: Antarctic Program Manager
  • Nationality: Belgian
  • Karin Toornstra
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Florian J. Piper
  • Function: Director Sales | Arctic program
  • Nationality: German
  • Majanda Fens
  • Function: Reservations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Dorine van Boekhout
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Marie Rose Porreca
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Erik Hageman
  • Function: CFO
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Gabi Merten
  • Function: Reservations for the German speaking market
  • Nationality: German
  • Elza Back
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
Loading