Sea Change: Hong Kong shipowners street into a new era, confident of continuing our status as a global maritime hub

Last year, the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) celebrated its 65th anniversary and also elected its first chairman of Indian origin. Angad Banga took the helm at one of the world’s largest and most vocal shipowner associations in November. Its 180-plus members represent companies owning, managing or operating a fleet, or providing shipping industry services, and together their vessels boast a carrying capacity of more than 223 million deadweight tonnes.

Banga is chief operating officer of The Caravel Group, his family’s company with maritime, commodities and asset management arms. Through his two-year stint as HKSOA chairman, he is also serving as rotational chairman of the Asian Shipowners’ Association until mid this year, which embraces bodies from Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea as well as ASEAN countries.

He explains that the HKSOA is driven by volunteerism; like his father, Dr Harry Banga – once one of the youngest master mariners in the Indian merchant navy – and other members of The Caravel Group, he has been active in the association for many years. “I felt that the time was right to put myself forward for election to further support the global and local development of the industry and our maritime hub here in Hong Kong,” he says.

Initially pursuing a career in finance and private equity roles, Banga’s background is notably diverse and perhaps unique for someone in his new role. He is proud of his elevation as the august body’s first chair of Indian descent, but he also keeps a sense of perspective – the maritime industry, not surprisingly, is extremely international in outlook, has English as the common language and members with businesses anchored all over the world. “I do feel the significance of being the first person of Indian origin leading the association,” he says. “I do, however, see myself as a Hong Konger with Indian heritage and an international perspective, having been raised here from an early age, but having also been educated in the US.”

Life at sea and onshore

Clearly devoted to the industry, he is a keen to promote it as a rewarding career across many disciplines for both men and women – “everything from law, to finance, insurance, marketing, engineering and data science”. “The salaries in shipping are competitive when you compare them to other industries, and its global nature means there are good opportunities to move around and experience working and living in different countries,” he shares.

During the celebrations to mark its 65-year lifespan, former Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation Efthimios Mitropoulos stated the HKSOA has never been shy to speak out on important topics. Banga insists he will continue to be outspoken in matters close to his heart during his tenure. “I feel very strongly about seafarer welfare, including their physical and mental health and wellbeing,” he says. “Seafarers are essential key workers and their work is absolutely vital within the global supply chain.”

The pandemic was an extremely challenging period for all at sea. And as borders closed, mariners spent much longer onboard than usual, resulting in spikes in anxiety and other mental health issues. Banga is proud of HKSOA efforts to further seafarers’ rights in areas such as crew change, shore leave and vaccinations during that time, and promises that their wellbeing will continue to be a core issue.

Safe harbour

On a strategic level, the association will continue to do its utmost to preserve Hong Kong’s status as one the world’s premier maritime centres and to promote its interests globally. “I’m very confident about the Hong Kong shipping industry going forward, and our position as an international finance, shipping and trade centre,” says Banga, noting that the HKSOA plays an active role in many maritime arenas including the International Chamber of Shipping.

“Hong Kong continues to have the fourth largest ship registry in the world, and as a result of the recent shipping tax concessions, it is seen as an increasingly attractive centre for ship-leasing companies, with several building or expanding their portfolios in the city – which has a flow-on effect of increasing the demand for other supporting maritime service companies.”

He highlights the competitiveness of the shipping tax rates and incentives introduced by the government over the past few years – tax on ship leasing, ship management and ship agency is now either nil or just 8.25% (half the normal corporation profits tax rate of 16.5%). Tax concessions afforded to commercial principals such as ship managers specifically address third- party ship management as a stand-alone business. “The fact these concessions are also extended to businesses within the service sectors, such as brokers, ship agents and marine insurers, to name a few, means that everyone can benefit and grow together,” he says.

Shipping forecast

Such incentives should act as a major “drawcard” for shipping-related companies to be based in Hong Kong. “The Hong Kong government has traditionally been very supportive of the maritime industry,” says Banga, who also notes the volume of maritime arbitrations in Hong Kong has been steadily increasing.

The association continues to keep an open dialogue with government representatives on ways to grow the industry. The establishment of a separate Transport and Logistics Bureau dedicated purely to transport and logistics matters (rather than being grouped in with Housing) was partly down to HKSOA advocacy.

In another positive move, the Hong Kong government recently completed a ‘smart port’ study, planning to “enhance port efficiency and reduce cargo handling time and cost through streamlining and optimising the multi-party coordinated processes electronically”.

Greener future

The global shipping industry is now steering a course to decarbonisation, including the use of future fuels, in a process considered essential if the world is to keep within the climate goals set down in the Paris Agreement. According to its new chairman, the HKSOA is fully supportive of this transition and will take onboard cooperation and support from all parties. “In the energy transition journey, some key challenges include regulation, digital innovation and attracting, training and retaining people to be able to run ships as effectively and efficiently as possible,” notes Banga.

As for his own company, he says The Caravel Group is reducing carbon emissions from its owned and managed ships given that greenhouse gas emissions are directly related to fuel consumption. “A large part of our efforts focuses on implementing measures to conserve engine power and improve energy efficiency. This includes improving our consumption monitoring and data collection processes to be more comprehensive and accurate, so we can make better decisions in managing each vessel.”

Hong Kong’s position within the Greater Bay Area should allow fleets to draw on the resources of the region’s innovative R&D centres in the transition drive. He also believes that Hong Kong, with its strategic location within Asia and robust infrastructure, is ideally placed to become a future fuel bunkering hub. “We need skilled people to be able to support industry developments, such as the rolling out of new technologies and future fuels,” says Banga.

Ship Shaper: Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group

After years in the finance field, Angad Banga joined the family fold at The Caravel Group. Today, as COO, he oversees an expansive portfolio that includes maritime shipping services, commodity trading and investment management, all with the hopes of preserving the company’s legacy for generations to come…

gafencu magazine gmhk february people interview feature Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group

What was it like to grow up within the Banga family?

Well, my family moved from the UK to Hong Kong in 1985 when I was just 15-months-old so, for all intents and purposes, Hong Kong is very much my home. While there was an emphasis on education, my parents were always very supportive and allowed me to just be a kid and pursue my own interests. As most of our family were still in India, my fondest memories are of holidaying in my paternal grandparents’ home in Chandigarh and playing cricket on their front lawn with my cousins. 

gafencu magazine gmhk february people interview feature Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group (7)

Were you always destined to join The Caravel Group, the family business?

Actually, there was never any real pressure to join as there was not really a family business per se. Although my dad, Harry Banga, was vice-chairman and the second-largest shareholder of the Noble Group, it was more an institutional organisation rather than a family-run enterprise.

In 2010, he stepped down from his own role with the Noble Group. Over the next few years, he took on some of the businesses he had started there, eventually bringing it all under The Caravel Group, which formally launched in 2013 / 2014. This has now become, as you have suggested, our family business.

And, today, what is the core offer of the company?

The Caravel Group has three primary areas of activity. The first is Caravel Maritime, which includes Fleet Management, our flagship operating business. This business was founded by my father under the Noble Group umbrella in 1994. We acquired Fleet Management from Noble in 2011 and brought it under The Caravel Group upon the establishment of the business. Today, we’re the second-largest ship management company in the world, operating more than 600 vessels across the world’s oceans. Caravel Maritime also includes Caravel Shipping, which provides in-house and third-party dry bulk commercial and chartering services, as well as maritime asset ownership. 

Our second arm is Caravel Asset Management, with a primary focus on direct investments in global liquid markets including public equity and credit, across all industries. We also invest in alternative investments – mainly private equity and hedge funds – to diversify risks and sustain long-term return. We also run a direct private equity business, with a portfolio that includes India’s largest beauty omni-channel retailer, Nykaa, and Hong Kong’s largest craft brewery, Young Master Ales. 

Finally, there is Caravel Resources, which trades industrial dry bulk commodities, with a focus on raw materials for steel making and power generation. As an industrial dry bulk supply chain manager we’re involved with moving and trading commodities from producers to consumers, including iron ore, thermal coal and metallurgical coke. Today, collectively, these businesses operate across 15 plus countries.

In addition, while we’re first and foremost a business, we’re also committed to giving back to society. Thus, we’ve established the Caravel Foundation, a Hong Kong-based charity with a focus on children’s education and healthcare. 

gafencu magazine gmhk february people interview feature Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group (2)

As the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, what are some of your particular areas of responsibility? 

In short, I see my role as being a strong steward for this organisation: to help Caravel maintain its strengths, to enhance our capabilities, and to grow. I feel like it’s my responsibility to grow and develop our leadership team with a clear vision, to drive The Caravel Group forward into the next generation.

That said, my day-to-day responsibilities are about ensuring the smooth running of the wider organisation. As the various arms of the Group are managed independently, part of my job is to liaise with the Chief Executives of those divisions from a corporate perspective. Part of my remit is also to focus on the future and to drive our strategic initiatives, whether that’s mergers and acquisitions, human resources or the exploration of new verticals. 

gafencu magazine gmhk february people interview feature Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group (3)

What criteria do you look at when investing in third-party businesses?

I think one of the most important things to look at is “who”. While you’re backing a business, more critically you’re backing a person. Ultimately, believing in the CEO, the founder, and the leadership team, as well as having faith in what they can deliver, is paramount. We won’t invest if we don’t trust the founding team. At the same time, gauging the value proposition of the business and the problem they’re trying to solve is also important. In the case of Nykaa, for instance, we studied the demographics in India and the e-commerce and beauty trends across the world before agreeing to invest.

How has the group coped over the past 12 months, one of the most challenging times to ever be in business?

While 2020 will go down as an unprecedented year, a time organisations and individuals suffered a great deal, our business – thankfully – came through incredibly well. For our part, we provide employment to 1,000 people across the world, with a further 20,000 working on the ships we manage. That means that, roughly, 100,000 people are economically dependent on us, so it was very fortunate that we recorded 10-percent year-on-year growth in business volumes, with a net income growth of about 50 percent over that same period. Ultimately, it’s testament to the strength and resilience of our people that we expanded despite all the turbulence and uncertainty. 

gafencu magazine gmhk february people interview feature Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group (4)

What are some of the unique aspects of running a family business?

From a personal point of view, I never thought I would be working with my dad. Having experienced it, though, I really treasure working with him and learning from him, particularly as there wasn’t really a family firm looming on the horizon while I was growing up, so all of this is something of a bonus. 

From a professional perspective, one of the biggest strengths of a private family-run organisation is that because we don’t report to any shareholders, we can afford to take a more long-term approach and focus on the strategic direction of the company. This, in turn, affords greater overall stability. 

The culture of a business like ours is also rather different as there’s an inherent level of trust and ownership at every tier. When you trust those around you, it breaks down the traditional barriers to building and running teams, allowing you to focus on generating ideas and executing solutions. Building lasting family organisations means you are more likely to put in the extra hours and effort needed to make it a success, which drives a different level of commitment altogether.

gafencu magazine gmhk february people interview feature Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group (6)

Looking back on your career, what do you see as the biggest hurdle you ever faced?

After I graduated from Dartmouth University with a degree in Economics, with honours, I spent two years working as investment banker for JP Morgan. Most of my career was spent with KKR prior to joining Caravel. In between, though, I was hired by Blackstone for a relatively short period. That was just before the global financial crisis and I’d been hired as part of a team briefed to grow Blackstone’s credit investing footprint in Asia. Unfortunately, once the crisis hit and the economy tanked, I found myself without a job. It was a terrible time. I was just 24, scared witless and had no real idea as to what to do next. 

That difficult period taught me the importance of a number of things – empathy, resilience and the importance of hard work – that I still prioritise today, and which, I believe, have enhanced my leadership style. I also learnt the importance of focusing on those things that you can control, while not worrying too much about those beyond your remit. Finally, it taught me the merits of taking a chance on people. Soon after that, I was fortunate enough to be hired by KKR and it was one of the best things to happen to me. They took a chance on me. And that really changed my life.

Thank you. 

 

 

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Art Direction & Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Photos: Jack Law