Therese LANGSETH
I started my career designing ships, then moved on to selling them. Along the way, I've worked in engineering, shipbroking, entrepreneurship, and completed an MBA at INSEAD. I'm driven by curiosity, enjoy learning new industries quickly, and thrive in roles where commercial thinking and relationship-building create long-term value.
Experience
Sale & Purchase Shipbroker
Friday & Co
Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Executed 13 ship sale transactions across multiple segments, including coasters, multipurpose vessels, bulkers, chemical tankers, and tugboats
- Closed transactions valued at USD 1–16.25M, earning ~1% brokerage fee per transaction for the firm
- Drove firm growth by co-leading recruitment and interviewing of junior brokers; team scaled from 3 to 8 employees over 3.5 years
- Led a team of three responsible for implementing and customizing a CRM system (Salesforce) to improve efficiency and client service
- Initiated the firm’s first booth at Breakbulk 2024 (a shipping trade fair) and helped organize client events such as the “Friday Gran Fondo” (cycling event) to drive business development and increase visibility
Research & Development Engineer
Damen Shipyards
Gorinchem, Netherlands
- Guided Design & Proposal Engineers through all stages of the vessels’ development cycle across 5+ vessel types, computing performance predictions, CFD simulations, and sound & vibration analyses
- Embarked on 5 sea trials before client hand-over, to complete extensive theoretical vs. actual measurements
- Developed and tested energy optimization algorithms for hybrid ferries, reducing fuel consumption on selected routes
Software Development Intern
Accenture
Oslo, Norway
- Built a full-stack AR Android application in a 7-person team within 6 weeks, despite no prior professional coding experience
Summer Contractor (Reoccurring)
Sperre Industri AS
Aalesund, Norway
- Managed logistics flows and expedited delivery of millions of euros’ worth of replacement compressor parts to ships and power plants worldwide
Education
INSEAD
MBA
- Independent Student Project: sourced, evaluated, and modeled acquisition of a Singapore-based SME (~SGD 1M EBITDA); pitched investment case to real investors - Focus areas: finance, entrepreneurship, AI, turnarounds, and SME acquisition
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers
Professional Qualifying Diploma
- Completed the ICS Shipping diploma gaining comprehensive knowledge in chartering, ship operations, maritime law, and global trade dynamics
Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU)
Master of Science
- Master Thesis: Sonar-Based Monte Carlo Localization for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles - 1 year Erasmus exchange to the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, in 2016-2017 - Student assistant in Marine Control Systems guiding 48 master students on direction and feasibility of final project submission
Skills
financeentrepreneurshipAIturnaroundsSME acquisitioncharteringship operationsmaritime lawglobal tradeSonar-Based Monte Carlo LocalizationAutonomous Underwater VehiclesMarine Control SystemsSalesforceCRMbusiness developmentBreakbulkship sale transactionsbrokeragerecruitmentinterviewingclient serviceDesign & Proposal Engineersvessel developmentperformance predictionsCFD simulationssound & vibration analysessea trialsenergy optimization algorithmshybrid ferriesfuel consumption
Languages
Norwegian
Native
English
Fluent
Dutch
Intermediate