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

  • Hans Verdaat
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch

Hans his fascination for nature and traveling has been present all of his life. From a young age on he has been a birder and fascination with the polar regions caught him during one of his birding travels to the North of Norway.

After his study Coastal Zone Management he started working on the Dutch island Texel as a field researcher for the marine research institute of Wageningen University. In his research he specialises in seabirds and marine mammals.

Since 2004 he has participated in scientific research projects in the Antarctica, Caribbean, West-Africa, Spitsbergen and European waters. He has always been fascinated with the polar regions and has participated in several scientific expeditions both to the Arctic and Antarctic.

In 1999 he started working as a (birding) guide. The last years he has combined his research job with guiding & expedition leading for Oceanwide Expeditions.

In his free time Hans is a keen nature photographer and an active member of the team supporting the international development of the citizens science platform Observation.org

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

Eduardo is an astronomer with a passion for sharing nature with others.

  • 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
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  • Sara Jenner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
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  • Philipp Schaudy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Austrian
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  • Marcel Paul
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Claudio Ghiglione
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Italian
  • Christian Engelke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German
  • Jan Belgers
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Rinie van Meurs
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Pippa Low
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
  • Ali Liddle
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
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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

  • Toni Salo
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Finnish

Born and raised in Turku, Finland, Toni grew up in a city with ancient seagoing traditions. He has loved sailing since he was a child, when he regularly went out with his grandfather to experience life on the high seas. Ever since, he has dreamed of sailing to far-away places and exploring the world. Toni served in a naval base near Helsinki for two years before starting his studies at Maritime University in 1999. He got his officer’s license in 2003 and spent the first ten years of his career working on cargo ships.

After many years of gaining experience, he finished his studies and got his Master mariner license in 2012. Toni moved to the expedition industry the following year and has no plans of leaving it. He loves the nature, wildlife, and delivering a great polar travel product.

Toni joined Oceanwide Expeditions in 2018. Even though he’s sailed the seven seas and loves all the new places he gets to visit, there’s still a special place in his heart for the tiny island in Finland where it all started 40 years ago.

When he is on leave, Toni enjoys reading, cycling, fishing, and photography.

  • 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.

  • 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
  • Remmert Koster
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Evgeny Levakov
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian
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Office

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