COLIN EMSON has been the Managing Director of the Robert Fraser Group since 1979, dealing with commercial loans and merchant banking, corporate finance, ship owning and fi nance, Lloyds of London insurance broking, property investment, and hotel owning and development. He was co-founder of the business in 1967 of the specialist fi nance, insurance broking and investment consultancy, Emson & Dudley and has also been Chairman of Sterling Trust Limited since 1989.

NICHOLAS PILBROW FCA, CTA has developed a number of specialist and corporate fi nancial strategies and has been associated with the Emson & Dudley and Robert Fraser companies since 1973. This has included earlier wreck salvage projects and he is responsible for the corporate development of this project. He was with Arthur Andersen & Co. following his qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, specialising in international taxation. He has since been in private practice as a Chartered Accountant providing consultancy services to a range of United Kingdom and international companies and individuals, in addition to his directorships in marine and other commercial companies.

CATHERINE HUDSON graduated with a Sales and Marketing Degree from the American University in London and subsequently was appointed head of marketing for the Brazilian Brewery Brahma in the UK. She successfully developed and managed a sales team for two years before leaving to join the Robert Fraser Group in 1996, as a business development executive. She was appointed Director of Emson & Dudley Ltd. in 1998 dealing with business client liaison, administration and management.

HENRY EMSON joined Robert Fraser and Partners in 2008 and became a Partner in 2010.   He is predominantly responsible for project finance and operations overseeing marine and mining interests. He holds a CISI Certificate in Corporate Finance and previously spent three years as Director of Bridgehouse International specialising in International property development and finance.  Prior to this he spent two years in commercial property investment and asset management.

Principal Marine Consultant: LYLE CRAIGIE-HALKETT has been more than forty years in the salvage industry and has seagoing/diving/rigging experience in marine salvage, the petrochemical industry and General Merchant Marine Service. He has worked with multinational clients and workforces in various countries, including:- Risdon Beazley Marine Ltd for 14 years, the Government of the Falkland Islands & South Georgia, O.P.E.C., B&A Industries B.V. Netherlands, Blue Water Recoveries Ltd, Deep Sea Worker Limited and others in addition to providing independent consultancy work for various clients. He has advised on methodology for recovering cargo from sunken shipwrecks in both shallow and deep water. He is the co-author of a book ‘Risdon Beazley – Marine Salvor’ which was published in 2007.