TOP Tankers chief is 'Newsmaker' of 2004.

(From Lloyds List)

Evangelos J. Pistiolis was hailed as an example of the dynamic younger generation of the Greek shipping community last Thursday night when he was presented with the Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year Award by Lloyd's List.

He is understood to be the youngest chief executive of any listed shipping company in the United States while his company TOP Tankers itself is a very young operation.

TOP Tankers achieved a Nasdaq listing in July, raising $146m the largest IPO of a tanker company in the US equity markets during the last five years in order to acquire eight Sovcomflot handymaxes and two suezmaxes.

The IPO, which took just 97 days from inception to finish, was a success despite initial sniping from some commentators and media, a fact referred to by Lloyd's List editor Julian Bray in presenting the award to Mr Pistiolis.

Lloyd's List decided on its selection of Mr Pistiolis and TOP Tankers even prior to completion of the company's whirlwind secondary offering that raised a further $130m or so earlier this month.

Shares were sold at a strike price of $15.50 each, 41% above the $11 the company's IPO secured less than four months earlier and an illustration of its rapid ...