The British offshore shipping company North Star has added two new positions to its management team. In future, they will be responsible for the company’s personnel and legal affairs.
The role of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) will be held by Duncan Palmer, while Joanna Lang has been promoted to Chief Legal & Compliance Officer (CLCO). Also new to the Executive Board is Kenneth Coughlan, who succeeds the retired James Bradford as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). He will lead North Star’s strategy towards a lower emission fleet by 2045, supporting the company’s pioneering role in maritime innovation.
North Star is headquartered in Aberdeen and has offices in Lowestoft, Newcastle and Hamburg. The company employs around 1,500 seafarers and shore-based personnel and is the UK’s largest employer of offshore cadets. The company has a fleet of ten offshore renewable energy Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) in operation or under construction, as well as 37 emergency response and rescue vessels providing round-the-clock safety-critical support to around 50 installations in the North Sea.
As CHRO, Palmer will lead North Star’s people strategy and shape a high-performing, scalable organization to support the company’s growing offshore wind and marine operations. He brings 24 years of experience in talent strategy across complex, global industries, including leadership roles at Sodexo, Prosafe and Petrofac. He is a graduate of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.
In her expanded role as CLCO, Lang will be responsible for all legal and compliance matters for the company. According to North Star, her responsibilities will include shipbuilding contracts, ship charters, supply contracts, ESG reporting, compliance frameworks and corporate governance. She also supports strategic projects, financing activities and international expansion. With 25 years of professional experience in the legal and commercial sectors, including senior positions at Rovco, Rovop and Subsea7, she has in-depth industry knowledge and plays a central role in growing North Star through sound governance and effective risk management.
As CTO, Coughlan will lead North Star’s technology and innovation strategy, focusing on fleet decarbonization, newbuilding programs and the introduction of alternative fuels, according to the shipping company. He began his career on offshore crew transfer vessels and has continued to develop his skills in SOV design and operation. He combines practical operational experience with technical expertise. A naval architect by training, Kenneth brings over ten years’ experience in shipping and offshore wind energy, most recently as Global Head of Maritime Technical Projects at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, where he led SOV newbuilds and carbon reduction initiatives and was previously a customer of North Star.
“These appointments bring exceptional expertise and proven leadership to the company,” said Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO of North Star. “They strengthen innovation, decarbonization and governance across our fleet and solidify our position as a trusted SOV partner across Europe.”
