The MACN Secretariat
The MACN secretariat is responsible for progressing MACN’s strategic workplans (including MACN’s strategy), ensuring good governance, and managing MACN’s day-to-day work, including with its members, third parties, and funders.
The MACN secretariat office is situated metres from the historic Christianshavn in Central Copenhagen.
Cecilia Müller Torbrand
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Cecilia leads the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), a global business network working toward the vision of a maritime industry free of corruption that enables fair trade to the benefit of society at large. She was one of the front drivers for MACN’s establishment in 2011. MACN has under Cecilia’s leadership grown significantly, won multiple awards, and is considered to be one of the pre-eminent examples of collective action to tackle corruption.
Cecilia is an experienced anti-corruption specialist with more than ten years of expertise in the compliance field. She has multinational experience within shipping and trade and has been responsible for anti-corruption efforts globally; trained management and Captains worldwide; implemented whistle-blowing systems; rolled out country-specific anti-corruption campaigns, and conducted risk assessments, audits, and misconduct investigations. She has led and initiated public-private partnerships to tackle corruption globally in Nigeria, Egypt, Ukraine, India, and Argentina. In 2015 she was awarded “Compliance Officer of the Year” by the C5 Women in Compliance Awards.
Cecilia is a member of the B20 Task Force for Integrity and Compliance and is a member of WEF’s Partnering Against Corruption Initiative. She is a guest lecturer at the World Maritime University.
Guesting on BBC – The Food Chain Podcast
Guesting on BBC – The Business Daily Podcast
Guesting on Kickback – The Global Anticorruption Podcast
Guesting on the Shipping Podcast
Guesting on the Democracy that Delivers Podcast
Guesting on the Lloyd’s List Podcast
Martin Benderson
Chief Partnership Officer
As Chief Partnership Officer, Martin is responsible for scaling MACN’s Collective Action initiatives and for stewarding MACN’s partnerships with international donor organizations. Martin joined the MACN secretariat in 2014 and has since catalyzed and led Collective Action initiatives to tackle corruption in the port and maritime sector in several countries. He currently oversees MACN’s Collective Action initiatives in Indonesia and Malaysia and has steered MACN’s efforts to establish a Global Port Integrity Platform. Martin also provides oversight and ensures good governance of MACN’s grant portfolio.
Prior to joining the MACN Secretariat, Martin worked as a sustainability consultant, advising corporate clients, international organizations, and donor agencies. Martin holds an MSc in International Economics and a BA in International Relations.
mbenderson@macn.dk
Tel: +45 2120 4643
Martin featured on the Democracy that Delivers Podcast
Here’s how collective action can work in real life, The FCPA Blog · Jan 25, 2017
Vivek Menon
Chief Operating Officer
Vivek is responsible for engaging the maritime industry towards MACN’s vision, executing MACN’s collective action projects, leading and overseeing MACN’s operational tools & services, and co-lead private public partnerships in combating corruption in the port and maritime sector.
Prior to joining MACN, Vivek was the head of the maritime occupational safety and health department at Sea Health and Welfare, a Danish non-profit private consultancy and service organization for Danish Shipping. Vivek is a master mariner with more than 20 years of experience in the maritime industry, including sailing as a senior officer aboard merchant ships worldwide. He holds a Master’s degree in maritime affairs with a specialty in maritime law and policy from the World Maritime University, where he is also a guest lecturer.
vmenon@macn.dk
Tel: +45 2183 6906
Vivek interviewed on the Democracy that Delivers Podcast
Vivek interviewed on the Even Keel podcast
Martin Stene
Lead – Southeast Asia & Americas, ESG
Martin Stene leads MACN’s Collective Action initiatives in Southeast Asia and the Americas, where his key responsibility is to drive impactful change and foster public-private collaboration.
In addition to his regional responsibilities, Martin spearheads MACN’s efforts on the ESG agenda, with a particular emphasis on governance.
Martin also oversees internal projects focused on organization-wide technological integration, enhancing both user experience and operational efficiency.
Prior to joining the Network, Martin has a background from the Insurance industry. He holds an MSc in Security Risk Management from Copenhagen University and a BA honors degree in International Relations and Security from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland.
Kasper Nielsen
Lead – EMEA Region & Seafarer Engagement
Kasper leads MACN’s collective action initiatives in Egypt, Philippines, and Ukraine, collaborating with local public and private stakeholders. He manages the HelpDesk service and engages with MACN member seafarers, conducting seminars, and developing anti-corruption tools.
With an M.Sc. in International Security and Law from the University of Southern Denmark, Kasper brings valuable operational experience from his naval officer background. He is also a certified Class 1 Master Mariner from the Royal Danish Naval Academy.
Maria Gowon
Lead – West & Central Africa
Maria leads MACN’s Collective Action initiatives in West & Central Africa. With prior experience as a local partner with the Convention on Business Integrity (CBi) Nigeria, she now manages MACN’s projects and member engagement throughout the region.
Maria holds a BSc in Public Accounting from Hope College, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (Michigan, USA). She currently studies Collective Action at the International Anti-Corruption Academy, Austria.
Ignacio Kantor
Lead – Strategic Communications and Data
Ignacio oversees MACN’s Strategic Communications and Data operations, developing comprehensive organizational messaging strategies and data-driven insights to advance MACN’s mission. He leads technical and partnership projects that leverage data analytics, including oversight of the Global Port Integrity Platform and Incident Reporting System, while implementing strategic communication frameworks for effective stakeholder engagement.
With over fifteen years of experience spanning public, private, and media sectors, he brings integrated expertise in project management, business intelligence, technical development, and strategic communications.
Ignacio has an M.Sc. in Business Economics and certifications in project management methodologies and data analytics.
Sagayamary Appavou
Global Compliance Lead
As Global Compliance Lead, Sagayamary is responsible for strengthening the network’s compliance framework and supporting members in building effective anti‑corruption, sanctions, and due diligence programs.
Sagayamary brings nearly two decades of compliance expertise from the aerospace sector. She has held senior roles leading global compliance programs across anti-corruption, sanctions, and export control, driving the implementation of policies, training strategies, and third-party due diligence frameworks aligned with major regulatory standards.
Earlier in her career, she worked as legal counsel advising on complex international transactions, compliance risks, and investigations across multiple jurisdictions.
She holds an Executive MBA from Toulouse Business School and is qualified to practice law in France.
Helene Schulz
Member Relations and Event Coordinator
Radha Laplamool
Coordinator – Member Relations & Communication
As Member Relations & Communication Coordinator, Radha assists in driving member engagement and oversees the branding and design of MACN’s content and publications. Additionally, she is responsible for executing communications strategies, which include managing media releases and fostering collaboration with key external stakeholders.
Prior to joining MACN, Radha gained valuable experience through several internships in the private sector, where she honed her skills in digital marketing, branding, and communications. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Finance and Investments at Copenhagen Business School.
Amr Ghazal
Data Intern
As a Data Intern, Amr supports MACN’s analytical projects by applying data science methods to generate insights that strengthen the organization’s work and decision-making. His role includes contributing to data preparation, visualization, and research that enhance reporting and member engagement.
Prior to joining MACN, Amr gained experience in business development and sales automation, and has since developed a strong foundation in programming, statistics, and machine learning. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Business Data Science at Copenhagen Business School.
Captain Nilesh Murdeshwar
Maritime Expert – India
Nilesh supports MACN’s Collective Action initiatives in India, engaging with industry stakeholders and government authorities to address corruption risks that undermine operational integrity and seafarer welfare. He manages the MACN India HelpDesk, providing real-time support to vessels facing corrupt demands, and works to strengthen public-private collaboration in the region.
Nilesh holds a Master Mariner Class I certification from Australia and has over 35 years of experience in the global maritime industry. His career spans vessel command and senior leadership roles ashore across various sectors including tanker, LNG, LPG, and dry bulk. He brings extensive operational expertise and deep knowledge of maritime compliance challenges in India.
