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.
Our staff
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.
- Ali Liddle
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: British
Ali Liddle grew up in the north of England where, after leaving school, she qualified as a primary school teacher.
- Hans Verdaat
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Dutch
Hans’s fascination for nature and traveling has been present throughout his life. From a young age, he has been an active birder traveling across Europe, studying coastal zone management in the Netherlands and in Norway.
- Philipp Schaudy
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Austrian
- Pippa Low
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: British
- Adam Burke
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: British
- Claudio Ghiglione
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Italian
- George Kennedy
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Australian
- Sara Jenner
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: British
- Eduardo Rubio
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Guatemalan
- Marcel Paul
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Dutch
- Christian Engelke
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: German
- Chris Long
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: New Zealander
- Jan Belgers
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Dutch
- Florence Kuyper
- Function: Expedition leader
- Nationality: Dutch
- Rinie van Meurs
- 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.
- 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.
Captains
- 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.
After completing nautical college, he sailed general cargo ships for several years before switching to heavy-lift ships, transporting such loads as offshore platforms, Dutch Royal Navy vessels, submarines, parts for petrochemical plants, dredgers, cranes, and other such items.
Since 2016 he has captained passenger vessels, starting with two mega-yachts and later becoming a captain with Oceanwide Expeditions on its Polar Class 6 vessel, Hondius.
Remmert is married and lives with his wife and her daughter in an old farmhouse in north Holland. When he’s not busy renovating the house, he likes to cook, travel, and spend time with his family and friends.
- 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.
- 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.
- Joachim Schiel
- Function: Captain
- Nationality: German
- Per Andersson
- Function: Captain
- Nationality: Swedish
Office
- Sytze Posthumus
- Function: Financial Controller
- Nationality: Dutch
- Adam Turner
- Function: CXO - Head of Expedition Operations
- Nationality: British
- Kees Matthes
- Function: Nautical Superintendent
- Nationality: Dutch
- Maria del Pilar Fernandez
- Function: International Sales Manager
- Nationality: Chilean
- Toto Vermue
- Function: USA and Canada Sales Manager
- Nationality: Dutch
- Jornt de Meurichy
- Function: E-commerce officer
- Nationality: Dutch
- John Yeh
- Function: Sales Representative China & South Asia & Oceania
- Nationality: Chinese
- Majanda Fens
- Function: Reservations Manager
- Nationality: Dutch
- Danique van Burken
- Function: Senior Marketing Manager
- Nationality: Dutch
- Florian J. Piper
- Function: Director Sales | Arctic program
- Nationality: German
- Bas Jumelet
- Function: Assistant Hotel Operations Manager
- Nationality: Dutch
- Helen de Jong
- Function: Sales Account Manager
- Nationality: Dutch
- Marie Rose Porreca
- Function: Reservations, North-America
- Nationality: American
- Franklin Braeckman
- Function: Antarctic Program Manager
- Nationality: Belgian
- Sasha Rachkova
- Function: Online Marketeer
- Nationality: Russian
- Marina Joglar
- Function: Reservations, North-America
- Nationality: American
- Ko de Korte
- Function: Consultant
- Nationality: Dutch
- Marissa Medrano
- Function: Accounting
- Nationality: American
- George Janes
- Function: Senior Copywriter
- Nationality: British
- Elza Back
- Function: Account Assistant
- Nationality: Dutch
- Michael Frauendorfer
- Function: Hotel Operations Manager
- Nationality: Austrian
- Arjan Gunnink
- Function: Senior Polar Diving Advisor
- Nationality: Dutch
- Karin Schutte
- Function: Reservations
- Nationality: Dutch
- Alexandra den Dikken
- Function: Senior Graphic Designer
- Nationality: Dutch
- Piet Vink
- Function: Managing Director
- Nationality: Dutch
- Gabi Merten
- Function: Reservations for the German speaking market
- Nationality: German
- Femke Wolfert
- Function: Staffing Manager
- Nationality: Dutch
- Sebastiaan Schijf
- Function: CFO
- Nationality: Dutch
- Loraine van Huizen
- Function: Online Marketeer
- Nationality: Dutch
- Michel van Gessel
- Function: Director
- Nationality: Dutch
- Stefan Pruimboom
- Function: Staffing and Operations Advisor
- Nationality: Dutch
- Rémi Bouysset
- Function: CEO
- Nationality: French
- Nyrée Siereveld-Verstraete
- Function: Account Assistant
- Nationality: Dutch
- Grace Vidal
- Function: Reservations, North-America
- Nationality: American
- Dorine van Boekhout
- Function: Reservations
- Nationality: Dutch
- Teun van ‘t Verlaat
- Function: Technical Manager
- Nationality: Dutch