Francis Mottrie stepped into a newly created role as deputy chief executive of Belgium shipowner Exmar in January, but just three months later he was catapulted into the top job.
Exmar was personally hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, when its long-standing chairman Philippe Bodson died of coronavirus on 4 April after a three-week illness.
Mottrie moved into the chief executive's position and his predecessor, Nicolas Saverys, shifted into a new role as executive chairman.
