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.
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!
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.
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 and systems she developed are still in use 13 years later!
Since leaving PLA she has worked for Metoc and SeaZone, where she was involved in developing GIS based software for companies like Airbus and was integral in the building of SeaZone 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.
Out of work, small children have got in the way of sailing for a few years so has taken to triathlons as an alternative sport until the kids are big enough to teach them to sail!
Janet has the role of Customer Services Manager at OceanWise where she is responsible for keeping the business ship-shape. Mainly this involves keeping a close eye on other members of staff and ensuring that customers’ expectations are always being met.
Janet started in the Marine Data industry with SeaZone Solutions Ltd in 2007 as Customer Services Assistant. She quickly progressed within the company and was promoted to Customer Services Manager when it became clear she was very good at bossing people around. 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 dog walks, camping holidays and all things family.
James is a developer and GIS expert with over 20 years’ experience in the industry. He has worked as a consultant, developer and product manager. He has knowledge of a range of open source and proprietary industry packages and libraries including ArcGIS, QGIS, GDAL and FME. James is familiar with standards that are relevant to the industry including those from OGC, ISO and W3C and seeks to implement them where appropriate. James is focused on developing applications for managing OceanWise’s data products, designing and implementing a web API for OceanWise’s Port-Log product and managing systems providing spatial web services using off-the-shelf open source products.
James’s interests outside work extend to running and landscape photography.
Robert joined OceanWise in early 2017 after graduating with a degree in Oceanography from the University of Liverpool. Whilst up in Liverpool he took a role at the National Oceanography Centre where he worked for a year in the Marine Physics and Ocean Climate group analysing sea level data.
After a brief hiatus spent working out in the French Alps he has joined our Operations Team. His current role involves working on GIS projects, data processing, installing instruments in the field as well as providing support to clients.
Outside of work, Robert is a keen sportsman having tried his hand at a many sports, from Aussie Rules to water polo. Sailing has always been high on the agenda, racing small keel boats in the Solent. Anything water related and he tends to be happy! Rugby features high on his agenda too being both a fan of Wasps as well as the English national side.
George joined the OceanWise team in November 2014 as an Information Systems Apprentice. After spending 13 months at OceanWise George completed his apprenticeship and accepted a new role as an Information System Developer. As an apprentice George learnt how to use GIS systems, develop desktop/web applications using a variety of programming languages and develop/maintain relational databases. In his current role, George is responsible for the development and maintenance of in-house tools, the development of our data products and OceanWise’s online presence.
George follows football passionately and spends far too much of his time learning quirky stats about the game. He loves to play football and recently, with a push from OceanWise, he has even been able to enjoy a bit of sailing! George hopes to start a blog focused on his coding challenges and achievements that he hopes will contribute to the thriving community of programmers who freely provide experience and knowledge online.
Will has joined OceanWise as Business Administration Apprentice seeking to gain a qualification while working. As an apprentice he will learn all the different aspects of the company and will work 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. Will is looking forward to developing his skills and knowledge in the marine environment, which is a new area for him.
In his personal life he is a keen footballer who enjoys following the sport and playing it. He also enjoys mountain biking and is now also starting an interest, thanks to OceanWise, in the shipping industry.
