Tony Allen has taken over the management of the North of
England P&I club's successful Greek office. He replaces Mike Salthouse, who set up the office three years ago and has now returned to the club's headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne, England as a Greek area director.
Allen (42) started work in the Greek office last year. He formerly worked in Piraeus on P&I and FD&D matters with international maritime law firm Norton Rose before moving to the North of England in 1998, becoming involved with a wide range of P&I issues including container operations, cargo claims and oil pollution matters. He originally trained in the insurance and marine law litigation department of London law firm Simmons and Simmons.
He is supported in Greece by Helen Yiacoumis, who joined the club last summer and moved to Piraeus in January this year. Yiacoumis (30), a fluent Greek speaker, originally trained and worked as a solicitor for four years in the dry shipping litigation department of international law firm Holman, Fenwick & Willan, including a period in the Piraeus office.
Allen and Yiacoumis will be joined early next year by Antigone Yanniotis, a Greek-speaking American shipping attorney who starts work for the club this month. Yanniotis (29) will initially work in Newcastle to familiarise herself with the club's head office procedures and systems.
Salthouse, a director of the North of England's wholly owned management company North Insurance Management, has rejoined the club's FD&D department and been appointed an area director responsible for Greece. He now works with a dedicated Hellenic claims-handling team, which includes former Greek office deputy manager John Owen.
Since the North of England opened its office in Piraeus three years ago the club's Greek membership has increased significantly, with new members such as Minerva and Avin joining existing members such as Dynacom, Laskarides, Alpha Tankers & Freighters and Kyklades.
The A- rated club now insures a fleet of 45 million GT, with 2600 ships entered by around 400 members from throughout the world, including 85 members in Greece. It is the only P&I club - and one of few European insurers - to have been given a 'positive outlook' in 2003 from leading rating agency Standard and Poor's.