Paul Friett – Claims Director, W.E. Cox Claims Group (Europe) Limited

Email: pfriett@w-e-cox.co.uk
DDI:    +44 203 859 9043

Paul joined W.E. Cox Claims Group in June 2009 and has been involved in the Insurance industry for more than 40 years.

He originally worked for an Aviation Broker, before joining a major international Insurer in their Marine Claims Department. Paul has experience in dealing with all types of Marine Cargo claims, including coordination of major catastrophe losses and project cargoes.

Paul deals with cargo claims from notification to conclusion and is also responsible for General Average and Salvage matters, as well as having been involved in development and training within the Group.

Captain Rajiv Thakar – Master Mariner, LL.M. Maritime Law, Casualty and Complex Claims Director

Email:   rthakar@w-e-cox.co.uk
DDI:      +44 203 859 9059
Mob:     +44 7720 826560

Captain Rajiv Thakar joined W.E. Cox Claims Group in 2017 having previously worked in the marine claims market. Prior to this he was at sea for sixteen years, sailing on tankers and OBOs with command experience. He has a Masters in Maritime Law from the prestigious University of Southampton.

Captain Rajiv Thakar handles and advises on all aspects of large marine casualties including Salvage, General Average, Cargo Claims, Recoveries and Settlement, with emphasis on keeping costs to a minimum. He has taken cases to Arbitrations, Mediations and Courts in England and other jurisdictions and has an excellent track record of significant recoveries in cases involving fire, explosion, collision, grounding, sinking, capsizing, charterparty disputes, main / auxiliary engine failure, rudder / propeller failure, alleged heavy weather, piracy, cargo shifting / overboard, cargo contamination, cargo shortage, fraud, etc.

Combining his practical experience at sea, legal knowledge from LL.M. Maritime Law and investigative and negotiation skills makes him an expert at preparing and developing cases on unseaworthiness, deviation, and other breaches of contract and beating the “fire”, “negligence in the navigation and management of the vessel” and “perils of the sea” exceptions under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act / Hague Visby Rules.

Marie-Laure Mirrione – European Director

Email: MarieLaureMirrione@w-e-cox.eu
Mob: 00 33 7 79 73 34 96

Marie-Laure has over 30 years’ experience and has always worked in environments in the Shipping and Marine Insurance industry, commencing with an editor of a shipping guide on French and African ports. Marie-Laure then moved to work with a P&I Club correspondent as Marketing Director. Keen to always maintain skills at the best level, she graduated from Kedge Business School (Euromed Marseille) in 2003, with an MBA.

Marie-Laure has considerable experience of the Marine Insurance and of the African Continent and was appointed in 2005 Managing Director of a leading marine survey company. Over the years, she has constantly trained in Marine Claims Handling and Recoveries, and she is now pursuing exams with the aim of becoming a Fellow of the Association of Average Adjusters in London.

Marie-Laure brings with her a wealth of marine and GIT expertise, both cargo and Hull and Machinery, and operates equally in both mainland Europe and the African Continent. Amongst other things, she will be involved in Surveys, Claims Handling and Recoveries.

She joined CWH Europe on 1st September 2016 and is based at our Marseille Office.

As many of you will know W E Cox has had a surveying presence in France since 2016, firstly with CWH Europe and following the 2018 merger with E.L. Johnson’s Sons & Mowat, CWH Johnsons International. With offices in Lille and Marseille and a dedicated team of surveyors across Europe, CWH Johnsons International has developed into one of the leading marine, cargo and freight liability surveying companies in Europe. Naturally we have received requests to assist beyond surveying and are delighted to be able to announce the launch our new European Head Office in France, W E COX CLAIMS GROUP (EU) SAS.

Neoclis Kleanthous – Casualty and Complex Claims Manager

Email: NKleanthous@w-e-cox.co.uk

DD: +44 20 3859 9063

Neoclis is a qualified solicitor and has significant experience in shipping, working both within a Law Firm and as a Recovery Agent. Neoclis deals with all aspects of shipping law including claims and recoveries involving physical loss / damage to cargo, general average, salvage indemnity and marine insurance. He has been involved in High Court proceedings and LMAA arbitration and is an expert of complex and high value matters.

Neoclis obtained an LLB from University of Surrey in 2016, an LLM in Maritime Law from University of Southampton in 2017 and an LPC Degree in 2020. He participated in the STAR programme for high achievers of University of Surrey and obtained two prizes for the best academic performance in the LLM. Neoclis is also a visiting lecturer of Maritime and Marine Insurance Law at a private university. Neoclis speaks English and Greek and is based in our newly opened branch office of W E COX CLAIMS GROUP (EU) SAS in Cyprus.

Twinnie Lai – Senior Claims Manager, CEEMIS Far East Ltd

Email:  twinnie@ceemis.com.hk
Tel:      +852 2573 7770

After graduating in 2006, Twinnie had a brief spell in office administration before joining W. E. Cox Claims Group in the summer of 2007.

By demonstrating an aptitude for personal organisation and problem-solving, Twinnie’s role has significantly expanded through successive promotions to reflect her growing skill set to include client account management and claims team supervisory responsibilities.

Twinnie’s expertise includes handling high-volume and complex marine cargo claims; freight forwarder liability claims; stock throughput and local risk management assessments; and co-ordinating casualty and catastrophic events investigations.

Twinnie is an effective written and oral communicator in Cantonese, Mandarin and English and is dedicated building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and agents in the region and around the world, whilst reporting directly to the board of W.E. Cox Claims Group.

Paul Sansom – Managing Director, W.E. Cox Claims Group Pte Limited

Email:   psansom@w-e-cox.com.sg
Tel:       +65 6438 3375

Paul has been involved in the Marine Claims industry since 1986, when he joined a Global Marine Claims group.

Prior to that, Paul attained the level of Second Deck Officer in the Merchant Navy, sailing on various types of Cargo Vessels and achieved a Degree in Maritime Commerce at the University of Wales.

Since 1986, Paul has held Director positions in both the UK and Asia and has extensive knowledge of all types of Marine Losses, including Cargo, General Average and Salvage, Liability and Surveys, especially in Asia, where he has worked for a majority of the past 20 years.

Title: Manager

E-mail: hcher@w-e-cox.com.sg

Mobile: + 65 9369 6338

Helen has gained vast experience since entering the maritime insurance industry 20 years ago having worked in several international Insurance Companies, a broking firm, as an Average Adjuster and in a Marine Claims Consultancy Group.

Prior to joining WE Cox Claims Group, Helen was heading the Marine Insurance Department of a renowned Shipowner dealing with various types of maritime losses.

Helen is an Associate with The Association of Average Adjusters and has extensive experience in dealing with all aspects of maritime losses including cargo claims handling, liability, General Average & Salvage and subrogation

Jerome Chong

Email:  jchong@w-e-cox.com.sg
Tel:      +65 6438 2275

Jerome began his career in Insurance handing Personal Lines Claims and then moving on to Commercial and later Marine Claims. Jerome has previously worked in a number of Insurance firms as well as a Global Claims Settling Agent prior to joining the W.E. Cox Claims Group in 2008.

Niall Orr – Director

Email:   norr@w-e-cox.com.au
Tel:       +61 2 8249 4477
Mob:    +61 414 072 764

Niall previously worked as an in-house solicitor for a large Australian insurer focused on ocean, air and land subrogated cargo recovery claims, freight forwarder liabilities and policy interpretation.  As a qualified lawyer, Niall is well-versed in the applicable international Conventions and Rules, interpretation of carriage agreements and is skilled in dispute resolution working on complex contentious carriers liability claims to achieve strong commercial settlements for his clients.  Niall has a Juris Doctor (Law) from Australia and a Bachelor of Arts from the U.K.

Joshua F. Gayer – Sr. Marine Cargo Claims Specialist

Email: jgayer@w-e-cox.com

Phone: 570 664 6802

Joshua F. Gayer recently joined our team in the USA office. Before becoming part of the W.E. Cox Claims Group, Josh was with The Walters Nixon Group, providing bespoke insurance solutions, including legal analysis, claim investigations, settlement negotiations, and general consulting services to insurers in the maritime, mass transit, transportation, and construction fields. He also served as the exclusive adjuster with WNG for claims through Concept Special Risk across the Eastern USA, Canada and the Caribbean.

Josh graduated from Union College of Schenectady, NY with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a minor in Chemistry. He received his JD degree from Florida State University College of Law, and is a member of the bar of New Jersey. He went on to earn an MBA degree from Rutgers Business School.

John Olson – Consulting Adjuster

Email:  JOlson@w-e-cox.com

John Eric Olson has practiced transportation, aviation and maritime law for over 40 years.  He is a member of the bars of New York and New Jersey and a member of the Maritime Law Association. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from Rutgers University and studied in a foreign law program at Stockholm University.

Most of his career before becoming associated with the W.E. Cox Claims Group was with the prestigious maritime and transportation law firm of Hill Rivkins LLP in New York. He rose from associate, to partner, then to Senior partner.  Prior to working at Hill Rivkins, he worked at an international law firm in Sweden.

During his career he has been involved in some of the largest and most significant maritime, transportation and insurance cases.  He has litigated, arbitrated and engaged in mediation on the many transportation claims he handled.  He has also defended NVOCC’s and has defended insurance companies and given advice on coverage to insurance companies on coverage and liability issues.