Posted on January 29, 2025
DNV strengthens leadership team, naming long-time executive Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria to the newly created position of DNV Maritime chief operating officer
Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria has been named to the newly created position of DNV Maritime chief operating officer, according to an announcement by the class society.
Ms Saenz de Santa Maria was most recently DNV vice president, regional manager, southeast Asia, Pacific and India.
DNV Maritime chief executive Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen says the appointment “strengthens our leadership team, ensuring we are well-positioned to meet evolving business needs.”
In her new role, Ms Saenz de Santa Maria will streamline communication and co-ordination between the class society’s regional teams and central functions, work closely with key customers globally and strengthen operational capabilities in key growth markets.
The appointment, effective as of 1 January, highlights the increasing importance, too, of the role of Singapore, where Ms Saenz de Santa Maria is based, in the global maritime decarbonisation picture. The Port of Singapore is the world’s leading bunkering centre and transhipment hub, and the city-state is a leading maritime city.
Joining DNV in 2005, Ms Saenz de Santa Maria’s experience includes working in newbuilding and operations as a ship surveyor and project manager in Spain, Portugal, South Korea, and Norway. She has also held several senior management roles across Norway, Africa and Singapore. Ms Saenz de Santa Maria holds a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, and completed an MBA at IE Business School in Madrid.
