Trustees

Dean Lawrence - Trustee & Chair

Dean has an extensive 'hands-on' operational SAR background, extending over some 31 years involving Marine Search and Rescue, Rescue Vessel operations, SAR Communications and SAR Incident Management.

Dean has also been involved in various governance roles w

ithin the Coastguard organisation at all levels - Station, Regional and National.

He is a qualified Surf Lifesaver, regularly undertaking his beach patrols during the summer months, and is a qualified Instructor for the Surf Lifesaving Ribs.

Dean has recently complete the maximum three year term as President of the Royal New Zealand Coastguard, but has been co-opted back on to the Board for his experience and background.

He has also been appointed to the Board of Water Safety New Zealand, the national organisation that coordinates the overall water safety sector.

Married to Debbie and with two adult children, his recreational time is spent fishing, hunting and generally looking after their small farm.

Dean was re-elected IMRF Trustee and became IMRF Chairman Trustee at the QGM in Vancouver in June 2019. 

"I am looking forward to my second term on the IMRF Board. I found the first four years a positive and enlightening experience and very rewarding albeit there were a few challenges along the way. Helping to improve the global SAR capability and working with our members to achieve that is an important and significant contribution we can make to ensure the waters of the world are a safer place."

Location: New Zealand Coastguard - New Zealand

E-mail: [email protected]

Jacob Tas - Vice Chair Trustee

Jacob joined the KNRM (Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution) as Chief Executive Officer on the 1 June 2019.

After his military service as an officer in the Royal Dutch Navy, Jacob studied Applied Econometrics in Amsterdam, after which his career started within the commercial sector at a large international logistics company.

His last position was global Operations Director and member of the Executive Management Team of Royal P&O Nedlloyd.

Subsequently he worked in the UK for several large charities.He worked at The Prince’s Trust, Action for Children and before joining the KNRM he was CEO at Nacro.

Jacob held a variety of board positions, ie the Dutch Centre, Warchild UK, St Paul’s Steiner School and the Nedlloyd Pensioenfonds.

Jacob is co-founder of the Centre for Narrative Leadership and completed the Advanced Management Programme at Oxford University.

Location: The Netherlands

E-Mail: [email protected]

Jorge Diena - Trustee

Jorge joined ADES, the volunteer maritime rescue association of Uruguay, in 1980 and, since 1996, has served as a volunteer coxswain at ADES's Montevideo station, with over 200 'shouts' to his credit.

From 2003 to 2010 he was the Vice-President of ADES, acting almost half of that time as President.

He is also the IMRF’s Regional Coordinator of South America where he participated in the organization of various MRO workshops and seminars.

An agricultural engineer by profession, he has managed a dairy farm from 1985 to 2019, and is now director and partner of a company engaged in environmental protection and domestic, industrial & hospital waste management.  

Jorge is fluent in Spanish, English, German, Portuguese and Italian.

He is happily married to Silvia, and they have two daughters and two grandchildren together.

Jorge was re-elected IMRF Trustee at the QGM in Vancouver in June 2019.

Location: Montevideo - Uruguay

Telephone: +598 996 89 100

E-mail: [email protected]

Mohammed Drissi - Trustee

Mohammed is a Master Mariner, maritime affairs Administrator and a sworn expert on Maritime Affairs.

He worked for SAR since 1999 and tasked to develop SAR services within the Kingdom of Morocco.

He is the head of SAR Bureau at Ocean Fisheries Ministry and Coordinator of the National technical SAR committee which include Civil and Military departments.

He is already the Regional Coordinator for Africa since 2010 and has been involved in many SAR projects within the North and West Africa SAR region with the cooperation of IMO and IMRF.

Mohammed was re-elected IMRF Trustee at the QGM in Vancouver in June 2019.

Location: Ocean Fisheries Ministry - Morocco

E-mail: [email protected]

Cia Sjöstedt - Trustee

Cia was born in 1965 and grew up in a yachting family, spending most of her summers sailing.

After completing her education, and working a variety of jobs, she started and co-owned a Communication & Advertisement Firm for 10 years before choosing to work for charity (Universeum, Science Center and the Swedish ”Majblomman”).

In 2012 Cia started work as Director of Communication for SSRS.

In 2014 she became deputy CEO and in 2017 she became CEO.

Cia was elected IMRF Trustee at the QGM in Vancouver in June 2019.

Location: SSRS - Sweden

E-mail: [email protected]

Nicolaus Stadeler - Trustee

Nicolaus has been with the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) since 2010.

As the Financial Director Nicolaus is in charge of fundraising, marketing, public relations and all matters of financial administration.

Before joining the DGzRS he spent several years working for charities and NGOs.

He also worked in various major financial companies in the areas of auditing, controlling and investor relations.

Nicolaus holds a degree in National Economics from the University of Bonn, Germany.

Nicolaus was elected IMRF Trustee at the QGM in Vancouver in June 2019.

"Although more than 70% of the earth is covered with water, I believe that people do not know enough about the risk of drowning. All Rescue Organisations worldwide share the same issue, which is preventing people from drowning and rescue lives at sea. As a Trustee, I would like to inform more people about our work to get them involve."

Location: DGzRS - Germany

E-mail: [email protected]

Zhang Rongjun - Trustee

Rongjun, holding the master degree of maritime law, began his professional career with China Rescue and Salvage Headquarter in 1988.

With over 30 years’ maritime SAR working experience, he has gathered rich experience in coordinating and organizing international and domestic maritime SAR operations.

He has been serving for Donghai Rescue Bureau of CRS as Deputy Director-General since 2011, prior to which he was Deputy-Director of the General Operational Office of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center (China MRCC Headquarter).

His involvement in the work of IMRF started in 2001. He was appointed as General Manager of IMRF Asia Pacific Regional Centre in 2011.

In 2015, he was elected as the IMRF Trustee responsible for IMRF’s affairs in the Asia Pacific Region.

Rongjun was re-elected IMRF Trustee at the QGM in Vancouver in June 2019.

Location: APRC - China

Telephone: +86-21-55095107

E-mail: [email protected]

Anna Classon - Trustee

Anna Classon has extensive experience in operational SAR, having been involved with the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) for 25 years and she currently holds the role of Head of Region in Ireland, having overall responsibility for the running of the organisation on the island of Ireland. 

During her long career with the RNLI, Anna was Head of Operational Policy and prior to that role she had an extensive career in Fundraising and Communications, both at Strategic and Leadership level.

She has broad experience in both working with and supporting the RNLI’s vast network of volunteers. 

Anna was also a member of the board of The Charities Regulatory Authority of Ireland, an independent authority, established in 2014 by the Irish Government to regulate the charity sector. 

She has had great interest in the work of the IMRF for many years and created the initiative that is now the IMRF Technology Panel. 

‘Organisations can create efficiencies if we share ideas and innovations, developing together rather than going it alone. The IMRF is the perfect organisation to help this sharing by creating the spaces where people can come together online or face to face, to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.’

Anna’s family are involved in the fishing industry which has given her a keen awareness of the value of Search and Rescue and a love of the water. 

Location: Donegal, Ireland

E-mail: [email protected]