Delivering with confidence in China in International Shipping News 17/04/2026 LR’s strengthened leadership team brings commercial, technical and customer expertise together for consistent technical assurance and to engage with senior-level clients across the region. Tianxiang Li (TX), LR’s Director of Global Technical Support Office (TSO) will lead senior client relationships and strategic engagement as LR’s President for Greater China, aligning LR’s global technical leadership with the priorities of Chinese owners, yards and designers. Elina Papageorgiou currently serves as President for Greece and Cyprus, now expands her remit to become Global Client Director. This role strengthens LR’s global presence in China by bridging commercial strategy with operational delivery and leading the China Growth Plan. By enhancing client experience and deepening strategic relationships with key maritime clients and partners, Papageorgiou drives governance and executive engagement across major global shipping hubs. Finally, Nikos Tsatsaros has been appointed Head of the Technical Performance Group (TPG) for LR in Greater China, based in Shanghai. The TPG gives independent technical governance and performance assurance across the region, supporting consistent, high‑quality delivery, amid China’s growing new construction activity. This group works closely with LR’s Centre of Excellence to oversee technical standards and resolve issues should they arise. TPG’s objective connections to shipyards and teams improves predictability and reduces risk for clients and colleagues across Greater China. Tianxiang Li, LR’s President for Greater China The expanded leadership team spoke about what excites them most, how global and local expertise come together in China, and how LR prepares for the next phase of its journey in one of the world’s most dynamic maritime markets. Stepping into these new roles, what excites you most about this next chapter in China, and what impact do you most want to make in your first year? Nikos Returning to China is genuinely exciting for me. This is my second chapter here, having previously spent almost a decade working in the field as a surveyor and later in managerial roles. Those years gave me real understanding of how shipyards operate, how surveyors think and how technical decisions are made under pressure. What motivates me now is bringing these perspectives together at a time when China delivers most of the world’s new tonnage. My first-year focus is to strengthen LR’s technical governance and surveyor performance to make sure we remain a stabilising, trusted partner. That means protecting quality by supporting shipyards to maintain high standards while operating at a faster pace and preparing our surveyors for the future as alternative fuel systems and digital technologies become the norm. Elina Papageorgiou, LR Global Client Director Elina Having spent more than 23 years with LR, my career has largely focused on supporting shipowners across account management, area management and global commercial leadership roles. I always hoped for the opportunity to work in China and experience the scale, capability and dynamism of the Chinese maritime industry. The timing feels especially meaningful. Having secured an unprecedented orderbook, we now have a responsibility — and opportunity — to deliver on that commitment for both shipyards and shipowners. Being based in China allows me to directly support that ambition. In my first year, my