People behind the work
Experience, conviction and a long-term commitment to maritime.
“Few realize the profound impact maritime digital transition can have on humanity.”
Chye Poh is the founder and General Partner of ShipsFocus. He is a serial entrepreneur and investor with over 40 years of experience in maritime commerce. For the past decade, he has focused on innovations in the maritime supply chain. Recognized for his expertise, he was part of the MPA’s IMC 2030 Advisory Committee.
With a keen eye for emerging trends and a track record of successful ventures, he continues to drive innovation in the global maritime arena. Outside of his professional life, Chye Poh has green fingers and enjoys nurturing both companies and his plants.
“If a great journey starts with the first step, let it begin at the operations.”
James has over 20 years of experience in system development both in maritime shipping and venture building. He combines both deep operational understanding and astute commercial grasp with his technical know-how and domain expertise to deliver new and disruptive systems that capture great values in maritime commerce.
James graduated with a double degree in mechanical and computer engineering and is ShipsFocus’ star ping-pong player during lunch hour!
“I enjoy nurturing early-stage businesses and reaping substantial long-term returns.”
Ronan is our Investment Advisor and an essential part of the Investment Committee at ShipsFocus. He has a wealth of experience with an unbeatable track record in public market investing and medtech investments, always adding unique perspectives and valuable insights to our investment selection and decision-making process.
Ronan graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford.
“A decade at sea and another decade in the services taught me exactly where the friction lives—and how to help our founders cut straight through it.”
Sriram bridges decades of heavy maritime operations with sophisticated quantitative strategy. With over 20 years of sector experience, his career is evenly split between a decade at sea as a Marine Engineer and another decade serving as a Marine Technical & Commercial Head across global hubs like Houston, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
His deep sector expertise is matched by a strong technical mind for fintech; he has built two digital platforms and engineered proprietary ETF and stock management algorithms. As our Commercial Catalyst, his transition from a marine engineer at sea to a commercial head across global hubs gives our portfolio companies a tactical edge in navigating, selling to, and conquering international markets.
“Companies don't scale on capital alone—they scale on people. I make sure our founders have both.”
Jessica brings 30+ years of deep operational and talent-building experience to the fund, acting as a crucial launchpad for early-stage maritime startups.
She provides hands-on, end-to-end operational and administrative support for the ShipsFocus portfolio, guiding founders through the whole journey from corporate entity setup to sourcing and hiring their first key talents. She ensures that young companies have the structural and human foundations required to attract capital and grow.
A dedicated community mentor, she has served as a Children's Ministry mentor at Wesley Methodist Church since 2005.
“My job is simple: make sure our LPs trust us, and our founders never doubt we're in their corner.”
Thao is the central point of fund operations, working alongside founders to track portfolio health, milestones, and operational challenges, while delivering clear, honest reporting to our LPs. Actively on the ground scouting the next wave of maritime innovation, she leverages her unique Southeast Asian lens to spot high-potential startups before they break through.
Her investment instincts are backed by a rigorous, seven-year academic foundation in the discipline—a Diploma in Maritime Business from Singapore Polytechnic and a B.Sc. in Maritime Studies from Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
For founders, investors and ecosystem partners who share our conviction.