Dr Mike Osborne trained as a physical oceanographer and has since acquired a broad set of skills comprising environmental and engineering support, marine data management and GIS. Mike has worked across a range of marine industries, managing numerous high profile projects globally. First as Technical Director of Metoc, then as founder and MD of SeaZone and latterly as MD of OceanWise, Mike has been pioneering the use of GIS in the marine environment for almost 20 years. He specialises in data and information management and decision supports systems for the port and maritime sectors and the creation of marine reference data for marine spatial planning. Mike is a Fellow of IMarEST and a member of the MEDIN Executive Team. He is also an invited expert on the IHO Marine SDI Working Group, which he helped instigate, and an IHO trainer. He was awarded the Association of Marine Scientific Industries (AMSI) Business Person of the Year in 2017.
Caroline has managed to find her dream job combining a love of the sea with a love of geography! Having completed a Masters in Geographical Information Science her first job was developing GIS at the Port of London Authority (PLA) – the use of which is now widespread across the company.
Since leaving PLA she has worked for Metoc (now Intertek) and SeaZone, where she was involved in developing GIS based software for companies like Airbus and was integral in the building of SeaZone Marine Data Products – the first marine data company. Since leaving SeaZone to build OceanWise with Mark, Mike and John, she has developed higher quality Data Products, GIS based software for use in Ports and provided training for those learning or improving their GIS skills. Being passionate about data management Caroline is keen to help others in the marine industry follow best practice so they are as efficient as possible.
Out of work, competitive sport has taken a back seat to taxi and pit crew for my children’s sporting interests – spending most weekends in muddy fields! Caroline also supports their cycling club (Solent Pirates) as Club Secretary.
Mark Jonas has over 20 years commercial experience in the industry. He has a unique blend of experience in oceanographic surveying, environmental data processing and long-term data management and archive. This includes the development of computer hardware and software tools and incorporation of the data in a variety of CAD, Spatial Databases and GIS Systems. When those systems can’t solve the problem, he does a bit of programming! Mark also has had extensive experience in mathematical modelling which has provided him with the capability to manipulate data from initial collection through to post-processing and final analysis.
When he’s allowed to come up for air – he enjoys a spot of boating!
Ralph is an experienced metocean scientist with 17 years of experience in project management, marine surveying and the application of marine data. He has supported numerous offshore renewables, dredging, underwater mining and coastal engineering projects throughout the UK and Europe.
Ralph is Operations Director, responsible for all operational activities for OceanWise, ensuring that business objectives are met safely, efficiently and effectively.
Based on Hayling Island with his wife and two sons, he enjoys spending time on the water or climbing whenever he can.
Katie joined OceanWise in early 2018 and is responsible for ensuring the development and delivery of OceanWise’s Marketing strategy and Marketing portfolio. Katie has a degree in Marketing and a wide variety of experience spanning Marketing and Sales and Key Account Management. She has worked in a number of industries including Government, the Wine industry and Bathrooms.
Katie is well travelled and spent 5 years after her degree working and exploring throughout Europe, Asia and the South Pacific.
Katie has two sons with whom she shares a passion for all things out doors. She is a keen skier, outdoor swimmer and walker and loves spending time with friends and family.
Elvedin is an electronics and electrical engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the marine industry. He has worked on the design and installation on a wide range of different power and data systems, incorporating various types of instrumentation and satellite and terrestrial telecommunications equipment. He has many years’ field experience, deploying and maintaining data buoys and other systems in the coastal zone, and inshore and offshore waters, worldwide. His present role is as Engineering Manager in which he is responsible for enhancing OceanWise’s growing environmental monitoring systems capability.
Andrew Bell has 16 years experience working in the geospatial industry and a lifetime passion for all things to do with the sea. Following on from completing his MSc in Geographical Information Systems he has been developing corporate geospatial infrastructures in a number of government organisations, mostly recently as an independent consultant for the public and private sectors. Andrew joins OceanWise as an Information Systems Manager and will be working with our operations team. He has strong spatial database skills, in particular with PostgreSQL/PostGIS as well as strengths in QGIS, FME and Geoserver.
A keen sailor, Andrew competes in offshore and inshore yacht races as well as taking time to go cruising and enjoys exploring new waters.
Janet has the role of Customer Services Manager at OceanWise where she is responsible for keeping the business ship-shape and ensuring that customers’ expectations are always being met.
Janet started in the Marine Data industry with SeaZoneSolutions Ltd in 2007 as Customer Services Assistant. She quickly progressed within the company and was promoted to Customer Services Manager. Janet stayed on when SeaZone was taken on by HR Wallingford Ltd and continued to gain valuable experience learning to work in a much larger organisation. Having left HR Wallingford she is delighted to have come full circle by joining her old crew at OceanWise as Customer Services Manager.
Mother to three grown up daughters, Janet enjoys long walks, camping holidays and all things family.
Steve joined OceanWise in December 2018 bringing with them 7 years’ experience in web-based systems development. Of those 7 years they spent 4 years working on website maintenance and development and 3 years developing in-flight entertainment software for private aircrafts – after tackling the skies they decided to move their attention to the seas!
Steve is now a core part of the OceanWise technical team and is responsible for the development and maintenance of front facing websites and external projects as well as supporting and developing in-house tools.
Outside of work, Steve enjoys painting miniatures and spending time with their family and friends.
Hafsa joins our growing Technical Team working under the management of Steve. Hafsa brings with her years of experience having worked as a freelance Web Developer in Karachi, Pakistan, where she was responsible for creating ecommerce and dashboard websites. She then moved to the UK following her passion for further studies and travel. Since being in the UK she has accomplished her long awaited dream (and promise to her late dad) of completing an MSC in Web and Mobile Development Technologies.
Outside of work she is very home oriented and loves spending time with friends and family. She can often be found arranging pizza parties and sleepovers for her daughter and friends and connecting to her mom back home. Being an absolute foodie, she loves to cook and try new recipes.
Bhavith is a recent graduate in MSC advanced computer science from the University of Hertfordshire. He brings with him two years of experience as a front-end web developer. He is working with Steve in the Technical Team developing and maintaining the OceanWise product portfolio and websites.
Outside of work Bhavith likes to explore new places, trekking and cycling.
Dai is an experienced field operative and project manager who has been maintaining and upgrading coastal based monitoring systems for several years. He has a wide range of expertise and experience, including in bioscience, construction and quality assurance, and is also a qualified electrical and gas engineer, all useful skills which he brings to the OceanWise’s Field Operations Team. Dai has a wide understanding of – and respect for – the marine environment through his pursuit as a recreational SCUBA diver and instructor.
Becky’s joins OceanWise as an Business Development and Oceanographic Engineer. Becky will have an important role supporting the marketing function with business and product development as well as supporting field activities in Scotland.
Becky has a Masters degree in Oceanography and a Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Hydrography for Professionals along with 10 years of experience working in the marine and specifically the Ports and Harbours sector where she was Principal Hydrographic Surveyor for Associated British Ports at the Port of Southampton. During her time at the Port, she had a vast amount of hands-on experience implementing and working with OceanWise’s products.
Now based in the North East of Scotland, Becky enjoys spending time with her young son and family, exploring the rugged coastline and beautiful beaches of Aberdeenshire from the land and sea.
Will joined OceanWise as Business Administration Apprentice in September 2016 seeking to gain a qualification while working. As an apprentice he learnt all the different aspects of the company and worked on different areas from the business side to IT. He has a keen interest in Geography and also enjoys work related to the environment, so working for OceanWise means he can combine these interests with his working life. Having completed his apprenticeship in March 2018 he took on the new role as Operations Assistant where he, amongst other tasks, is the lead internal auditor, environmental representative and deputy product manager of OceanWise’ Marine Themes Vector product.
In his personal life he is a keen footballer who enjoys following the sport and playing it. In his spare time he enjoys cycling whenever he can whether it be off or on road.
Jason is one of the newest members to the Oceanwise team and joins us with over 18 years experience in manufacturing, spending the last 7 years leading a small team building satellite communication equipment for military and commercial uses. With Jason’s hands on dexterity, he will be working with Monitoring and Operations teams on future Oceanwise builds and installations.
Jason is very family orientated spending many a Saturday morning on a freezing cold football pitch side-line watching his son play the ‘beautiful game’. When he’s not with his family he can be found in the gym or with his head stuck in a bag of kettle chips.
Tirren Ambroziak joined us as a Oceanographic Data Engineer in 2021. Tirren has a Masters in Oceanography from University of Southampton and supports both our operations and field teams working on a combination of projects. She is involved in building our mapping products alongside using her Oceanographic knowledge to support our data platform Port-Log. As a field engineer she is often working outside the office, installing equipment from Tide Gauges to Met Sensors in various locations around the UK.
Outside of work Tirren enjoys doing anything that involves being out on the water. She is a keen sailor, paddle boarder and swimmer and can often be found either out on the water or under it, regardless of the weather. In addition, she enjoys trying new food and travelling, always on the look out for her next adventure!
Fred joins us as a junior field engineer, bringing with him a great mix of practical skills and marine experience. Fred recently moved ashore having spent over a year training to be an officer on commercial vessels. Fred will be supporting the Monitoring Team – using his skills in the workshop, in the office and on-site with our customers. Fred also has an interest in coding and software development having studied computer science at college. When he’s not reminiscing about the ocean, he can be found reading books or listening to music.
Abigail joined OceanWise in September 2023 for a 9 month placement which she is completing as part of marine science degree at the University of Exeter. Whilst at OceanWise Abi hopes to build her skills in data management and is particularly interested in remote sensing and environmental management.
Abi will be supporting both the Monitoring and Mapping business teams and aims to better understand data management in the marine environment by the end of her placement, so that she has a clearer career path after graduation. Outside of university and work, she is a recreational scuba diver, loves marine photography, is a keen surfer and paddleboarder. Off the water she enjoys spending as much time as possible outside and exploring new places.
John has 40 years’ experience working in the geospatial information industry, specialising in data collection and management, policy and strategy, new business development and marketing in the UK and overseas. He spent 27 years with Ordnance Survey involved in geodetic surveys, photogrammetry, satellite imagery analysis and cartographic development and 11 years at UKHO in product management, commercial development and data management. In this time, he has travelled widely in UK, Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.
In addition to his marketing portfolio with OceanWise, John specialises in providing geospatial, business and management consultancy services in strategy development and change management.
He holds professional qualifications in Surveying Science and Geodesy, Marketing and Strategic Planning; is a Chartered Marketer and a member of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). He lives in Somerset, is married with two grown up children with primary out of work activities including golf, cricket, gardening, steam trains and travelling.