Nobu Su
Nobu Su (Chinese: 蘇信吉) is the CEO and owner of the Taipei-based shipping company Today Makes Tomorrow (TMT).
Education
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in economics from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan,[1] and earned a M.B.A. from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in 1982.[2]
Entrepreneurship
Su has also designed an underdeck piping structure for ships, which he patented in Japan, Korea and China, which he has allowed shipping companies to use without license.[3] Su’s underdeck piping system for ships is currently in commercial use.
On 19 April 2011, Su was given the Lifetime Achievement for Entrepreneurship award at the international ShipTek conference.[4]
Shipping business
Su has turned TMT, his company, into an operator of real tankers and dry bulk ships. Under his direction TMT has expanded its fleet to include drybulk carriers, very large crude carriers, cargo carriers, liquefied natural gas carriers, automobile carriers, and cement carriers[1]
The most recent vessel purchases have been in Capesize dry-bulk carriers as well investments into oil tankers. TMT has a number of business partners and charters from companies like Chevron[5] and COA, for crude oil transport and cement transport. In February 2017 it was revealed that in 2013 he ran afoul of US trade sanctions against Iran.[6]
Legal issues
In June 2013 Su filed for US Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after being put under pressure by Taiwanese creditors, then in 2015 appealed a $47m judgement[7] against him in a long-standing case against Lakatamia.[8]
In March 2019 Su was found guilty in London of 15 out of the 17 counts of contempt of court with which he was charged and is now serving a 21-month prison sentence at the category 'B' HM Prison Pentonville in Islington, north London.[9] In July 2021, he was sentenced with another two years for contempt of court. [10]
Pan-Asian activism
Through TMT, he has invested in a number of regional shipping companies and ship construction companies.[11]
Su has stated that he plans to expand the reach of Asian companies into other investments and markets, with a plan to invest[12] in a liquefaction company in São Tomé and Principe to produce natural gas.
References
- ^ a b "Star Bulk Carriers". Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "Nobu Su Establishes Professorship at IMD". www.imd.org. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "TMT Chairman and CEO Hsin-Chi Su Files US$100 million IP Suit over Vessel Sale". Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "ShipTek highlights maritime industry's growth". Dubai Trade. 27 April 2011. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016.
- ^ "U.S. Court Orders Release of Arrested TMT Ship". The Maritime Executive. 20 September 2013.
- ^ "Nobu Su in hot water in the US for violating Iran sanctions". 8 February 2017.
- ^ "Feature film: The Outsider - Nobu Su". Nobu Su. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
- ^ Japan Corporate News, “Headway for Nobu Su” "Nasdaq" 14 April 2015
- ^ "Nobu Su jailed for 21 months in the UK". 4 April 2019.
- ^ "Nobu Su handed another two-year jail sentence". 8 July 2021.
- ^ "TMT: Nobu Su admits, 'I would have played it differently'". The Mritime CEO. Archived from the original on 27 August 2014.
- ^ "Taiwan's TMT's Natural Gas Plans". CNBC. 21 May 2012.