Lloyd’s List Intelligence Announces Waqas Samad as New CEO

Lloyd’s List Intelligence has announced the appointment of Waqas Samad as Chief Executive Officer. In his role, Waqas will spearhead the Company’s ongoing global expansion and drive ambitious innovation initiatives, ensuring that as geopolitical developments reshape global trade and heighten the strategic importance of the maritime sector, the company continues to deliver comprehensive and forward-looking trade intelligence solutions.

Waqas brings more than three decades of global experience at the intersection of finance, data and technology. He has held senior leadership roles at London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), including as a member of its Executive Committee and as CEO of FTSE Russell. Prior to that he served as CEO of Barclays Risk Analytics and Index Solutions.

Waqas succeeds Michael Dell who has led the business since 2018. Under Michael’s leadership, Lloyd’s List Intelligence successfully transitioned into a fully standalone business following its carve-out from Informa PLC, launched a modern portfolio of solutions to support stakeholders across the maritime ecosystem, and built a world-class leadership team. The business has grown profitably since becoming independent, delivering record-high organic growth rates and completing its first acquisition in January 2025. With this strong foundation in place, the company is well-positioned to enter its next chapter. Michael will transition to a Board advisory role to support the company’s continued growth.

Waqas joins at a pivotal moment in the company’s journey as Lloyd’s List Intelligence accelerates its growth strategy. His proven track record of rapidly scaling complex businesses, driving innovation and delivering client-centric solutions will be central to unlocking new opportunities across global markets.

“The maritime sector is undergoing an accelerated shift toward intelligence-driven solutions, fueled by surging demand for high-quality, actionable insights as geopolitical and economic shifts reshape global trade," said Waqas. "With deep expertise in the maritime space, Lloyd’s List Intelligence is uniquely positioned to lead this evolution. We have ambitious growth plans centered around facilitating success for our diverse range of customers across the shipping, finance, commodities trading, insurance, legal, tech and public sectors. I am excited to join the business at this key juncture and look forward to working with our clients, partners and colleagues to drive innovation across the industry.”