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

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

Adam was brought up in the countryside of Essex, England. He began sailing at the age of nine and by 12 was already working on the local river.

By the age of 16, he had a small fishing boat and was working on boatyards, taking tourists to see local seal colonies and helping out on the local lifeboat.

Adam later joined the British Armed Forces and was posted in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK. He also served in Kenya as a boat operator. In 2002 Adam joined the police and spent several years on a specialist unit working across the UK with his search dog, Charley.

Since Adam was young, he dreamed of working in the Antarctic like his uncle, who had worked there in the late 1980s. In 2014 Adam left the police to work as a boating officer for the British Antarctic Survey at King Edward Point, South Georgia, where he spent just over a year.

Adam studied at Middlesex University and often gives lectures on history. In 2017 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society while working as a guide and consultant.

In 2020 Adam began working fulltime for Oceanwide Expeditions as their field operations manager. He holds a commercial masters certificate and instructs in several marine disciplines. Adam enjoys diving, climbing, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.

Read an interview here >
  • Claudio Ghiglione
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Italian

Claudio was born in Italy in 1983. He is a nature photographer, expedition guide, and marine ecologist specializing in the polar regions.

  • 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.

  • Ali Liddle
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
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  • George Kennedy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Australian
  • Chris Long
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: New Zealander
  • Jan Belgers
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sara Jenner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
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  • Hans Verdaat
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Pippa Low
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
  • Christian Engelke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German
  • Adam Burke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
  • Philipp Schaudy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Austrian
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  • Florence Kuyper
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Marcel Paul
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Eduardo Rubio
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Guatemalan

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.

  • Jonny Baird
  • Function: Mountain Leader and Advisor
  • Nationality: British

Since 2017, Jonny has worked regularly as a mountaineering guide and as Lead Mountain Guide on the Antarctic Peninsula.

  • 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

  • Joachim Schiel
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: German

Born near the German city of Cologne, Joachim Schiel grew up some distance from the coast. His first contact with vessels came from the yearly sailing trips he made with a youth group on the Baltic.

After finishing school, serving in the military, and working a few different jobs, he started an apprenticeship in boat building. It was not long, however, before he realized he would rather work on vessels at sea than in the shipyard.

So in 1998, he started his sailing career on tall ships. Over the following years, he sailed during the summer and attended nautical college in Enkhuizen during the winter. This led to sailing on many different vessels all over the world before he became a captain in 2006.

He first sailed to Svalbard in 2009 and instantly fell in love with the Arctic, preferring to sail in the far north ever since. He has been on Rembrandt van Rijn since 2017, making voyages in Northern Norway, Svalbard, and East Greenland.

When Joachim is not sailing the polar regions, he likes to go hiking and diving in the warmer areas of the world.

  • 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.

  • Arthur Yakovlev
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian
  • Per Andersson
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Swedish

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
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: CXO - Head of Expedition Operations
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Sasha Rachkova
  • Function: Online Marketeer
  • Nationality: Russian
  • Tom Hamelink
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Majanda Fens
  • Function: Reservations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Yiyuan Fang
  • Function: China Sales & Marketing Coordinator
  • Nationality: Chinese
  • Nyrée Siereveld-Verstraete
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Stefan Pruimboom
  • Function: Staffing and Operations Advisor
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Marina Joglar
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Jornt de Meurichy
  • Function: E-commerce officer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Rémi Bouysset
  • Function: CEO
  • Nationality: French
  • Arjan Gunnink
  • Function: Senior Polar Diving Advisor
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Femke Wolfert
  • Function: Staffing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • John Yeh
  • Function: Sales Representative China & South Asia & Oceania
  • Nationality: Chinese
  • Helen de Jong
  • Function: Sales Account Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Maria del Pilar Fernandez
  • Function: International Sales Manager
  • Nationality: Chilean
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  • Marissa Medrano
  • Function: Accounting
  • Nationality: American
  • Danique van Burken
  • Function: Senior Marketing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Loraine van Huizen
  • Function: Online Marketeer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Michel van Gessel
  • Function: Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Michael Frauendorfer
  • Function: Hotel Operations Manager
  • Nationality: Austrian
  • George Janes
  • Function: Senior Copywriter
  • Nationality: British
  • Florian J. Piper
  • Function: Director Sales | Arctic program
  • Nationality: German
  • Marie Rose Porreca
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Gabi Merten
  • Function: Reservations for the German speaking market
  • Nationality: German
  • Toto Vermue
  • Function: USA and Canada Sales Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Bas Jumelet
  • Function: Assistant Hotel Operations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Teun van ‘t Verlaat
  • Function: Technical Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sebastiaan Schijf
  • Function: CFO
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Dorine van Boekhout
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Grace Vidal
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Karin Schutte
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Kees Matthes
  • Function: Nautical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sytze Posthumus
  • Function: Financial Controller
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Piet Vink
  • Function: Managing Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Franklin Braeckman
  • Function: Antarctic Program Manager
  • Nationality: Belgian
  • Alexandra den Dikken
  • Function: Senior Graphic Designer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Ko de Korte
  • Function: Consultant
  • Nationality: Dutch
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