Cruise Conference 2024 - 13th - 16th May Stockholm

Chris Martin joined Holland America Line in January 2004 as Manager, Port Operations, administering all port-related matters worldwide for the fleet. Over the years, his responsibilities have included new and existing port development, strategic planning for vessel deployment, and implementing new initiatives with regulatory agencies. Chris was promoted to Director, Port Operations in October 2009. With the formation of the Holland America Group in December 2014, he was responsible for managing port operations for Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, and P&O Australia in key regions around the world. When the Holland America Group was restructured in January 2023, Chris returned to Holland America Line and Seabourn where he was promoted to Senior Director and now oversees global port operations for both brands.

Prior to joining Holland America Line, Chris spent 9 years with Princess Cruises and Tours managing land-based divisions in Alaska and developing new port agency, shore operations, and port services for emerging destinations.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from the University of Puget Sound and a Master of Science in Management Communication from the University of Portland. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington with his wife and three kids.

Marcus Puttich, a certified ship agent by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, started his career in the port agency department of Biehl & Company in the ports of Houston and New York. Before joining TUI Cruises in January 2014, Marcus received Bachelor of Arts degree in Cruise Industry Management from the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences and graduated with a Master of Science with Distinction in Maritime Operations from the Liverpool John Moores University.

Marcus currently holds the position of Director Destinations at TUI Cruises and is in charge for all operational, planning, sourcing and development aspects of Port Operations (both brands Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises), Tour Operations and Ground Operations (only Mein Schiff). His responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the port agency, ground agency and tour operator selection, as well as the governmental, economic and operational aspects for all ports of call, as well as strategic decision-making in the port operations, ground operations and tour operations of TUI Cruises.

Nikos Mertzanidis is Vice-President, Ports & Destinations and Taxation at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) where he is responsible for developing, presenting, negotiating, and implementing industry positions on legislative, regulatory, and policy matters around an agenda for sustainable growth in ports & destinations, and taxation issues. In addition, he is the designated Secretary to the CLIA Europe Port & Destination Advisory Committee, the Global Tax Committee, and the Europe Taxation Working Group.
Mertzanidis joined CLIA in 2016 as Manager, European Government Affairs and was promoted to Director in 2020, and to his present position in 2024.

Prior to joining CLIA, Mertzanidis was a political advisor, working on the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, and later joined Imperial Brands Ltd. where he was the chief lobbyist focused on EU legislation for FMCG, taxation, new generation products, and consumer affairs.

A seasoned government and public affairs professional, with expertise in global public affairs, policy making and European business regulation, Mertzanidis is a long-standing member of the International Political Science Association and the Society of European Affairs Professionals.

Born and raised in Greece, he studied political science and international relations at the University of Macedonia in Greece, working in parallel for the UNESCO Chair for Intercultural Policy. In 2009, he earned his Master’s degree in International Politics at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales, and in 2022, he submitted his PhD, with an emphasis on International Relations, to the University of Macedonia.

Debbie Holbrook serves as the Director of Deployment & Itinerary Planning at Princess Cruises. She is responsible for the strategic deployment and itinerary planning of the Princess fleet of 16 ships including their newest Sun Princess which set sail this year. Along with her team this includes launching over 650 voyages carrying over 1.8 million passengers annually. Debbie is a dedicated community leader, serving on the Princess Cruises Community Foundation, and she finds joy in supporting local charitable events and serving on nonprofit boards.

Maria Tauschke holds the position of Head of Shore Operations at TUI Cruises and is in charge for the worldwide operational aspects of Port Operations, Ground Operations and Tour Operations for the Mein Schiff fleet and for all aspects of Port Operations for the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises fleet including short term itinerary changes for both brands. Maria Tauschke, started her career working on board of cruise ships within the department of Shore Operations in 2012 - her last position being a Port Operations Manager, before joining TUI Cruises in 2015. Maria has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Tourism Management and a Master of Science degree in Business Psychology.

Nicky was born and raised in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. He was educated in Gibraltar and at Brighton Polytechnic, now the University of Brighton, UK. He is a graduate of hospitality.

In his career he has worked in the hotel, hospitality and tourism industry and in 1997 joined the Gibraltar Tourist Board, where he carried out the roles of Product Manager and Sales and Marketing Manager.

Nicky was then Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Tourist Board for the latter half of his time there, before retiring after twenty-four years at the Board in 2021.

The Chief Executive’s role included an extensive programme of marketing the destination outside of Gibraltar. Other tasks included liaising with the airline industry, including route development and working extensively with the cruise industry.

Nicky held the post of Director for Events and Partnerships on the Board of Directors of MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports. Nicky was the Secretary General of MedCruise in 2023.

In the past, Nicky has represented Gibraltar at the International Cruise Summit and at all MedCruise and Seatrade events, including Seatrade Cruise Global in the USA, for the last 25 years.

Nicky is widely known and respected in the cruise, airline and tourism industry at all levels.

Nicky is now an independent consultant and specialises in the cruise industry, airline industry, marketing and communications industry and has extensive experience in event management. Having had experience in broadcasting, one of his many strengths includes that of presenting and moderating events and discussion panels, as he has done in the past for the ICS, MedCruise and Seatrade.

Nicky is a keen commercial aviation enthusiast and enjoys many extracurricular activities, including amateur dramatics. He is fluent in English and Spanish and is highly competent in French.