Alan Ginsberg and Randy Giveans found themselves on the same speaking programme at the inaugural Marine Money Ship Finance Forum in New Orleans this week without, on the surface, seeming to have a lot in common.

Giveans, 37, is a Louisiana native now living in Houston who competes in decathlons for fun. Ginsberg, 64, dwells in Brooklyn, New York and is known for his flamboyant neckties and a penchant for world travel.