Maritime Partners adds two to leadership team

Metairie, La., headquartered Maritime Partners LLC has recently added Stephen J. Bordes and Greg Chase to its executive leadership team.

Bordes, who joins Maritime Partners as its chief financial officer, has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of finance and fund management.

Prior to joining Maritime Partners, he served as the CFO for New York-based American Industrial Partners, a middle-market private equity firm that invests in industrial businesses.

“Stephen is an expert in accounting, financial management and corporate operations. He’s worked with a host of financial institutions and brings with him vast experience and knowledge of best practices in financial management, operations and compliance, as well as private equity management for domestic and overseas corporations,” said Bick Brooks, co-founder and CEO of Maritime Partners. “His addition will significantly enhance our team going-forward.”

“I’ve worked in finance and private equity for most of my career, and I’m proud of what I’ve learned and accomplished,” Bordes said. “Joining Maritime Partners has given me an opportunity to bring all my years of learning, experience and expertise to a rapidly expanding platform. I’m looking forward to all that we have on the horizon.”

In his career, Bordes has worked domestically and internationally for companies including Castle Harlan, Advantage Capital, Deloitte and Revlon. He holds a bachelor of science degree in management & accounting from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business and an MBA, with a focus on international business & finance, from Columbia Business School.

Also joining the Maritime Partners team is Greg Chase, who is serving as the firm’s chief legal officer.

Chase comes to Maritime Partners from Reed Smith LLP, a global law firm with a strong maritime practice. While at Reed Smith, he led the firm’s Chambers-ranked maritime transactional team in New York.

“We’re excited to welcome Greg to the Maritime Partners team. His years advising on significant shipping transactions in private practice has given him significant knowledge and expertise in the maritime industry, and his years of experience working with MP as an outside lawyer makes him an excellent fit for our team,” said Brooks.

During his 22-year law firm career, Chase represented private equity firms, lenders, operating companies and investors in the Jones Act and international and shipping industries, with a focus on corporate and finance transactions.

“Greg’s expertise will be of tremendous benefit to MP as we continue to grow,” Brooks said.

Chase helped build and launch Reed Smith’s U.S. maritime team, which is highly ranked in the U.S. market.

“I’m proud of my time at Reed Smith, and the firm’s U.S. transportation practice has been going from strength to strength and is very well positioned for the future,” said Chase”And as much as I value my former firm and colleagues, I am excited for my new role. I’m glad to be the latest addition to the MP team, and I look forward to working with this talented group for the continued growth of the business,” he said.

Before joining Reed Smith in 2013, Chase was an associate at Watson, Farley and Williams LLP in New York, practicing international finance and corporate transactions. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Government and History from St. Lawrence University, then went on to complete his law degree at Cornell Law School in 2001, with a specialization in International Legal Affairs.

He is the chair of the Financing Committee of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, and a director of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce and New York Maritime, lnc.

“We are thrilled to have these two experts, both highly respected in their fields, come aboard as our business continues to grow,” Brooks said.