Seaspan names Ryan Courson as new CFO

The world’s largest non-operating shipowner, Seaspan Corporation, is set to see a change of chief financial officer after current incumbent David Spivak handed in his notice to “pursue other opportunities”.

Mr Spivak will continue in the job until 5 May, after which 29-year old Ryan Courson (pictured above) will take over as chief financial officer.

Mr Spivak will continue with Seaspan until the end of June as special advisor to the president and chief executive.

Mr Courson joined Seaspan last month as senior vice president of corporate development and played “a significant role in Seaspan’s recent acquisition of GCI [Greater China Intermodal]”, working closely with president and chief executive Bing Chen and Mr Spivak.

Prior to joining Seaspan, Mr Courson spent three years at Falcon Edge Capital, a diversified investment firm with over $3bn in assets under management, where he “focused on researching and investing in capital-intensive industrial companies in North America and Asia”.

He began his career at Berkshire Hathaway, where he performed financial analysis and helped structure joint ventures with Berkshire portfolio companies and Asian counterparties.

A fluent Mandarin speaker, he is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and he currently serves there as a visiting professor.

Mr Spivak has been chief financial officer of Seaspan since May 2016, having served as an advisor to the company on various transactions including its initial public offering in 2005.