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

  • Philipp Schaudy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Austrian

Philipp Schaudy holds a Master’s Degree in Physical Geography and has studied in Austria, Iceland, and Svalbard. A restless traveler, adventurer, and alpinist, he’s always loved the outdoors.

Doing the bulk of his travel by bicycle, Philipp has visited more than 80 countries and set foot on all seven continents. He earns a living in his homeland of Austria by giving talks about his long trips and expeditions.

Philipp first visited Svalbard in 1998, and from 2004 to 2006 he and his wife lived in Longyearbyen. There they experienced not only the midnight sun, but also the magic of the polar night.

It was during these years that Philipp started working as a tour guide. In the cold months he led snowmobile trips into the Svalbard wilderness, and during the summers he led guests on glacier hiking trips.

Since 2005 Philipp has worked for Oceanwide Expeditions as a guide, lecturer, and expedition leader, taking voyages to some of the wildest places on Earth. 

He considers himself a victim of the polar virus and can attest that it’s highly contagious. 

Read an interview here >
  • Rinie van Meurs
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch

Rinie van Meurs has been an expedition leader since 1989, leading hundreds of expeditions all over the polar regions. The Arctic island of Spitsbergen, the largest in the Svalbard archipelago, is as familiar to him as his own back yard.

  • Katja Riedel
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German

Katja grew up in Germany, where she completed her Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry.

Read an interview here >
  • Beau Pruneau
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Canadian
  • Martin Berg
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Swedish
Read more >
  • Jan Belgers
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Pippa Low
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
  • Ali Liddle
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Sara Jenner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
  • Christian Engelke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Florence Kuyper
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch

Activity staff

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

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

After leaving the Navy, he continued to dive mainly around the UK, diving wrecks and always looking for a new story.

He is qualified as a dive instructor with BSAC and PADI and is certified to operate Drager Dolphin and Buddy Inspiration rebreathers.

Michael has worked for Oceanwide Expeditions for five years and enjoys giving divers a safe and exploratory experience in the polar regions.

Michael’s biggest tip for polar divers is to slow down, look around, and enjoy the environment.

He looks forward to enjoying it with you.

  • 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.

Captains

  • Mika Erik Appel
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Finnish

Mika Erik Appel was born and raised in the town of Vaasa, Finland, where cold weather and ice was just part of daily life.

A master mariner, he holds a Bachelor of Marine Transportation degree from Aboa Mare Maritime Academy. He began his captaining career by tug towing and pushing barges in the North Sea and Baltic, later moving on to passenger vessels.

During his years in the Baltic, he gained young-ice navigation expertise. Arctic and Antarctic waters are both familiar to him, and he is an expert in multi-year ice navigation.

Prior to captaining expedition vessels, Mika spent five years as a nautical instructor and training manager in Subic Bay, Philippines. There he became an accredited IMO trainer and assessor.

Mika draws on more than 25 years of experience in passenger vessels and cruise ships, now focusing mainly on polar expedition work. His area of specialization is remote, ice-laden waters.

  • 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 >
  • Arthur Yakovlev
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian

Arthur Yakovlev was born in Petrozavodsk, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Karelia, in northwestern Russia.

  • Toni Salo
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Finnish
  • Alexander Schmidt
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: German
  • Remmert Koster
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Evgeny Levakov
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian
Read more >

Office

Head Office:
Fax: +31 (0)118 410 417
USA & Canada reservations:
Fax: +1 (0)281 749 8220
  • Elza Back
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Maria del Pilar Fernandez
  • Function: International Sales Manager
  • Nationality: Chilean
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  • Ko de Korte
  • Function: Consultant
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Iris van Zalinge
  • Function: Sales Accountmanager
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Marina Joglar
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Field Operations Manager
  • Nationality: British
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  • Toto Vermue
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Matt Cutts
  • Function: Content Writer
  • Nationality: American
  • Grace Vidal
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Teun van ‘t Verlaat
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Danique van Burken
  • Function: Senior Marketing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Geert Kroes
  • Function: Art Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Gabi Merten
  • Function: Reservations for the German speaking market
  • Nationality: German
  • Nyrée Siereveld-Verstraete
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Jeroen Blanken
  • Function: Hotel Operations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Andreas Diesing
  • Function: Key Account Manager for the German speaking countries
  • Nationality: German
  • Loraine van Huizen
  • Function: Online Marketeer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Majanda Fens
  • Function: Reservations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Marie Rose Porreca
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Florian J. Piper
  • Function: Director Sales | Arctic program
  • Nationality: German
  • Femke Wolfert
  • Function: Staffing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Dorine van Boekhout
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Piet Vink
  • Function: Managing Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Michel van Gessel
  • Function: Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Franklin Braeckman
  • Function: Antarctic Program Manager
  • Nationality: Belgian
  • Sebastiaan Schijf
  • Function: Financial Controller
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sietse Vonk
  • Function: Purchase & logistic Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Ronald van Herwijnen
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Erik Hageman
  • Function: CFO
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Ingrid van de Loo
  • Function: Food & Beverage Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
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