Commercial Director, Singapore
From navigating ice-laden waters aboard tourist icebreakers to shaping the future of digital navigation, Alex Ponomarev’s career has always been full of real-world experience.
Today, as Commercial Director for Raymarine Commercial, Alex leads customer-focused strategy, helping maritime operators navigate an increasingly complex landscape with smarter, more connected solutions.
Alex’s journey began at sea, where he experienced first-hand the realities of navigation, decision-making, and operational pressure on the bridge. That early exposure continues to shape his perspective today, ensuring every solution he champions reflects the practical needs of crews, not just technical specifications.
His move ashore into an IT Manager role marked a pivotal shift, deepening his understanding of how digital systems underpin safe and efficient fleet operations. It was here that Alex began connecting the dots between technology, people, and performance.
Over the past 15 years, including 13 with Transas/Wärtsilä, he has built a unique blend of operational credibility and technical expertise, spanning maritime education, simulation, and digital transformation.
What sets Alex apart is his ability to bridge theory and practice.
His experience in simulation and training environments gives him a clear view of how crews actually interact with onboard systems, not just how they’re designed to be used. That insight is critical at a time when operators face growing regulatory demands, evolving standards, and increasing pressure to enhance efficiency.
For customers, this translates into a pragmatic, outcomes-driven approach:
Before joining Raymarine Commercial, Alex held a senior leadership role at Ocean Technologies Group, where he led sales and account management across EMEA and later APAC. There, he supported operators in deploying learning, fleet, and crew management systems at scale, gaining a deep appreciation for the challenges of implementation across global operations.
In his current role, that experience is focused on one goal: delivering measurable value to customers.
Alex works closely with commercial and technical teams to strengthen engagement, prioritising solutions that enhance safety, improve compliance, and drive operational efficiency. He is also a key force behind the adoption of next-generation capabilities, including S-100, CIO+ and Emergency Navigational Systems (ENS), helping customers confidently transition toward the future of digital navigation.
At the core of Alex’s approach is a simple belief: successful technology adoption isn’t just about the system, it’s about the people and processes around it.
He is a strong advocate for solutions that enhance seafarer capability, reduce risk, and deliver long-term value. That means working collaboratively, with customers, partners, and internal teams, to ensure every solution is fit for purpose and sustainable over time.
For Alex, trusted relationships are just as important as technology itself. In a complex and evolving industry, he sees collaboration as the key to solving the challenges that lie ahead.
