DIANA Shipping has appointed longstanding executive Maria Dede as the company’s co-chief financial officer.

She will work alongside current chief executive Ioannis Zafirakis who is set to continue as co-CFO, concentrating on strategic finance. 

In the last three months alone, Diana has concluded an $80m refinancing with Danish Ship Finance, a $25m ‘tap issue’ under an outstanding unsecured bond issue, and a $23m stock buyback pursuant to a self-tender offer for up to 15m shares.

Dede has served as chief accounting officer for Diana since its 2005 debut on the New York Stock Exchange.

Since 2020, she has also been finance manager and chief accounting officer for Diana Shipping Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary that manages Diana’s fleet.

Immediately prior to joining Diana 20 years ago, Dede served as an external auditor of shipping companies with the Greek branch of Ernst&Young.

She holds a degree in maritime studies from the University of Piraeus, a master’s in business administration from Alba Graduate Business School and a master’s in auditing and accounting from the Greek Institute of Education of Certified Public Accountants.

Zafirakis has sat on the company’s board since its inception and has held various executive positions at Diana.

He is the company’s chief strategy officer as well as co-chief financial officer.

In addition, he is a director of Nasdaq-listed OceanPal, spun off from Diana in 2021, and chief executive of his own company, Sea Transportation, begun about six years ago.

Greece-based Diana currently owns and operates a fleet of 39 bulkers on the water, with two methanol dual-fuel newbuilding bulkers still on order.

It has also invested in wind farm support vessel orders through a joint venture.