David Beard

David Beard is a Senior Director Simpson Spence Young, (SSY), the world's largest independent Shipbroking Company. Coming from a family having a full background in various aspects of shipping, he concluded his apprenticeship with Tate & Lyle training in a wide spectrum of dry bulk activities including Water Clerking, the bunkering of the Tate & Lyle fleet, short sea and deep sea chartering. David became a Member of the Baltic Exchange in 1983 and moved to SSY in February 1984 working firstly handysize Asian business. From 1988 until 1989 he spent time on secondment with Safbroker, an SSY subsidiary company located in Johannesburg, South Africa, working the panamax market until he moved to the market of capesize vessels in 1992. He remains an active commercial broker and presently heads up the Capesize Chartering desk of SSY. David is a guest speaker for METL and has also regularly lectured for The Cambridge Academy of Transport. Some of his other duties have included chairing the Coaltrans shipping sessions in both Seoul and Tokyo