Prokopios (Akis) Tsirigakis has been asked join Ocean Rig’s board of directors upon completion of the drilling contractor’s Nasdaq debut.

Akis Tsirigakis.
If all goes according to plan, the mastermind behind blank-cheque newcomer Nautilus Marine Acquisition Corp will fill a seat left vacant by DryShips COO Pankaj Khanna, who is expected to resign from the board when Ocean Rig joins its parent in Times Square.

The appointment of the 56-year-old, who served as the chief executive of Star Bulk Carriers for more than three years, followed the filing of a preliminary prospectus with US securities regulators.

Yesterday, Ocean Rig, which trades on Oslo’s over-the-counter market, registered 25,667,600 shares of common stock under an exchange offer that could top $421m if units change hands at the proposed maximum offering price of $16.42 a piece.

(Click HERE to read the prospectus in full)