Lars Lippuner

Lars Lippuner joined the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as the Director of UK Customer Maritime Services in 2024. In this role, he oversees the UK Ship Register, the UK Shipping Concierge, Seafarer Examiners and Certification Services, Seafarers Safety and Health, Customer Insights, and Regulatory Innovation.

Before joining the MCA, Lars was an Associate Professor of Maritime Education and served as the Director of Warsash Maritime School at Southampton Solent University, a global institution for maritime training, education, and research.

Lars holds an MSc (Applied Physics) and an Executive MBA, complemented by a UK Deck Certificate of Competency, and has recently completed the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme at the Saïd Business School. Lars has been recognised through his Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and his Fellowship of the Nautical Institute (FNI). He has also served as the chair of the International Association of Maritime Institutions and on the board of the Merchant Navy Training Board.

For more than a decade, Lars has collaborated with many industry stakeholders in his dedication to shaping the future of maritime education and the sector as a whole, driven by a passion for creating high-quality maritime career paths for individuals from all backgrounds.

In his spare time, Lars is a keen sailor with a preference for classic yachts and is also the editor of one of the world’s best-selling sailing manuals.