Navios Maritime Partners L.P. Announces Senior Leadership Changes
PIRAEUS, Greece, Dec. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (“Navios Partners”) (NYSE: NMM), an international owner and operator of dry cargo and tanker vessels, today announced senior leadership changes.
Angeliki Frangou, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer stated “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we strengthen the executive management team and continue our mission of being a leading player in the maritime industry through rigorous risk management, prudent capital allocation and financial and operational discipline.” Ms. Frangou continued “With these promotions, we will continue to build optionality in chartering and capital allocation across market cycles through our diversified fleet while optimizing leverage and liquidity. In parallel, we are also advancing operational efficiency, environmental performance, and safety through the ongoing digital transformation of our business.”
Establishment of the Office of the Chairwoman
Navios Partners is pleased to announce the promotion of Vasiliki (Villy) Papaefthymiou to newly created position of Vice Chairwoman of Corporate Transactions and the promotion of Shunji Sasada to newly created position of Vice Chairman of Commercial Operations. In their new roles, Ms. Papaefthymiou and Mr. Sasada will be members of a newly established executive office of the Chairwoman that will serve as a platform for the company’s senior leaders to advance the company’s long-term objectives. They will report directly to Angeliki Frangou.
- Vice Chairwoman – Corporate Transactions
As Vice Chairwoman of Corporate Transactions, Vasiliki Papaefthymiou will leverage her 35 years of legal expertise having led the execution of complex capital markets, M&A and global shipping transactions across multiple jurisdictions. She joined the Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.’ (“Navios Holdings”) in 2005 and served as General Counsel for its predecessor and various entities in the group. She has been the Secretary of Navios Partners since inception. She is also Executive Vice President-Legal and a member of Navios Holdings’ Board of Directors.
Ms. Frangou commented: “I am pleased to announce the promotion of Villy to this new position. I have worked closely with Villy in the development of Navios Partners to what it is today relying on her expertise, strong drive and ability to bring complex transactions to a successful conclusion. Her exceptional dedication, professionalism and leadership have set a standard of excellence within our organization. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Villy in the execution of future projects.”
- Vice Chairman -Commercial Operations
Shunji Sasada has been promoted to Vice Chairman of Commercial Operations, where he will continue to lead the origination of opportunities across the maritime sector. Mr. Sasada’s four decades of shipping industry experience enhances the firm’s commercial reach and strategic capabilities. Mr. Sasada joined the company’s board in 2007 and also serves as a director of Navios Holdings. He joined Navios Holdings in 1997 and has since held a series of senior operational and commercial positions within the organization.
Ms. Frangou commented, “I am pleased to announce the promotion of Mr. Sasada to this new position. Mr. Sasada has been instrumental in the advancement of Navios Partners’ commercial interests worldwide through his substantial depth of knowledge, many years of experience and deep industry relationships coupled with his unparallel commitment and professionalism. I count on continuing to work with Mr. Sasada, building on his extensive knowledge of the industry to further advance Navios Partners’ interests.”
New President Appointment
The company promoted Anna Kalathakis to the new position of President of Navios Partners. In her new role, Ms. Kalathakis will work with the executive leadership team to execute on strategy, focus on management while refining operations towards building a more efficient company. Ms. Kalathakis brings over 30 years of diverse experience in the maritime industry, having held multiple leadership roles, most recently serving as Chief Legal Risk Officer at Navios Partners. She joined the Navios Group in 2005.
Angeliki Frangou “I have worked closely with Anna for many years. She is the right leader as we accelerate the company 's strategy in the highly dynamic maritime industry. Anna’s tenure at the Navios group while spearheading our risk management efforts gives her unmatched enterprise insight and strong team trust. "
Ms. Kalathakis was admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts in Louisiana in 1997. She qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1999 and was admitted to practice law before the Bar in Piraeus, Greece, in 2003. She holds a B.A degree in International Relations from Georgetown University, Washington D.C. (1991), an MBA degree from European University in Brussels (1992) and a law degree (J.D) from Tulane Law School (1995).
Broader Leadership Evolution
As part of this next generation of leadership, Navios Partners is also elevating several senior executives to further integrate its dry bulk, container and tanker platforms.
- Senior Vice President - Corporate Legal
Sophia Tavla has been appointed Senior Vice President and Head of the Corporate Legal Group, with responsibility for legal and business affairs, including corporate governance and SEC reporting. Ms. Tavla will also serve as a key advisor to the executive leadership team.
Ms. Tavla joined the Navios Group in 2010 and has since held increasingly senior positions in both the legal risk and corporate legal departments. She was admitted to the NY Bar in November 2010. She is also a qualified lawyer of the Athens Bar since September 2009. She holds an LLM from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and an LLB from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
- Senior Vice President - Legal Risk Management
Alexandros Tsakonas has been appointed Senior Vice President in charge of the Legal Risk Management where he will be responsible for the overall risk management of transactions and company operations. A lawyer by training, Mr. Tsakonas joined Navios five years ago and has been immersed in all aspects of risk management, from operational to contractual risk.
Mr. Tsakonas was admitted to the Piraeus Bar in September 2017 and is also a qualified English solicitor since February 2021. He holds a bachelor’s in law (LLB) from Democritus University of Thrace (Komotini) and a Master 's in Shipping Law (LLM) from Queen Mary University of London.
- Senior Vice President – Finance
Grigoris Tzifas has been appointed Senior Vice President – Finance, where he will be responsible for financial planning & analysis, including budgets, forecasts, and management reporting. He will also focus on accounting, including month‑end close, financial statements, internal controls, and audit coordination, and assist in tax planning, insurance and regulatory filings.
Mr. Tzifas joined the Naviοs Group in July 2015 and served as Senior Financial Controller. He previously held the position of Financial Controller at Navios Shipmanagement Holdings Corp. and Navios Maritime Containers Inc. Grigoris holds a Bachelor 's Degree in Business Administration / Accounting from the University of Piraeus and is a qualified ACCA member.
About Navios Maritime Partners L.P.
Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NYSE: NMM) is an international owner and operator of dry cargo and tanker vessels. For more information, please visit our website at www.navios-mlp.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains and will contain forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) concerning future events, TCE rates and Navios Partners’ expected cash flow generation, future contracted revenues, future distributions and its ability to make distributions going forward, opportunities to reinvest cash accretively in a fleet renewal program or otherwise, potential capital gains, its ability to take advantage of dislocation in the market and Navios Partners’ growth strategy and measures to implement such strategy, including expected vessel acquisitions and entering into further time charters and Navios Partners’ ability to refinance its debt on attractive terms, or at all. Words such as “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “hopes,” “estimates,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements are based on the information available to, and the expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by Navios Partners at the time these statements were made. Although Navios Partners believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of Navios Partners. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, risks relating to: global and regional economic and political conditions including global economic activity, demand for seaborne transportation of the products we ship, the ability and willingness of charterers to fulfill their obligations to us and prevailing charter rates, the economic condition of the markets in which we operate, shipyards performing scrubber installations, construction of newbuilding vessels, drydocking and repairs, changing vessel crews and availability of financing; potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, wars, sanctions, diseases, pandemics, political events, piracy or acts by terrorists; uncertainty relating to global trade, including prices of seaborne commodities and continuing issues related to seaborne volume and ton miles, our continued ability to enter into long-term time charters, our ability to maximize the use of our vessels, expected demand in the dry and liquid cargo shipping sectors in general and the demand for our dry bulk, containerships and tanker vessels in particular, fluctuations in charter rates for dry bulk, containerships and tanker vessels, the aging of our fleet and resultant increases in operations costs, the loss of any customer or charter or vessel, the financial condition of our customers, changes in the availability and costs of funding due to conditions in the bank market, capital markets and other factors, fluctuation in interest rates and foreign exchange rates, increases in costs and expenses, including but not limited to: crew, insurance, provisions, port expenses, lube oil, bunkers, repairs, maintenance and general and administrative expenses, the expected cost of, and our ability to comply with, governmental regulations and maritime self-regulatory organization standards, as well as standard regulations imposed by our charterers applicable to our business, general domestic and international political conditions, competitive factors in the market in which Navios Partners operates; risks associated with operations outside the United States; the growing expectations from investors, lenders, charterers, and other market participants regarding our sustainability practices, as well as our capacity to implement sustainability initiatives and achieve our objectives and targets; and other factors listed from time to time in Navios Partners’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 20-Fs and Form 6-Ks. Navios Partners expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Navios Partners’ expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. Navios Partners makes no prediction or statement about the performance of its common units.
Contacts
Navios Maritime Partners L.P.
+1 (212) 906 8645
Investors@navios-mlp.com
Nicolas Bornozis
Capital Link, Inc.
naviospartners@capitallink.com
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