With over 50 years of maritime experience, including 35 years in the cruise ship industry, Captain Ola Harsheim brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and leadership to Utopia.  Prior to joining Utopia in 2007, Captain Harsheim was instrumental in working with architects, designers, and engineers to create, design, and build The World, the first residential ocean liner ever constructed.  The World launched in 2002 and Captain Harsheim remained at its helm for over five years.  Captain Harsheim has reassembled the team of four senior engineers and original members of the technical team who led the design, construction, and operation of The World. Utopia is Captain Harsheim’s project of passion, as he seeks to design, build, and operate the next generation of luxury residential ocean liners.

Mr. David Robb is the Founder & Chairman of the Utopia project. He also serves on the board of directors of various business and philanthropic organizations. Mr. Robb has spent most of his career as a private equity investor helping entrepreneurs and management teams grow their businesses. He began his investment career as an investor with Wasserstein Perella and then The Carlyle Group. Mr. Robb has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A., Magna Cum Laude from Yale University.

In addition to serving as President, Mr. Chris Chant is a Partner at Chant Associates, a real estate investment firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His firm has developed more than one million square feet of the state’s most prominent properties. In 2007, he engineered one of the largest private real estate transactions in the state’s history. Mr. Chant brings more than 20 years of property development, design, construction and management expertise to Utopia.

Mr. Tor Hansen brings close to 40 years of maritime design and engineering experience to Utopia.  Prior to joining Utopia, Mr. Hansen spent 9 years with The World, serving first as Chief Engineer overseeing the construction and delivery of the first residential ocean liner ever built, and subsequently as Vice President of Marine Operations and also as Vessel Manager for the ship.  Mr. Hansen has 25 years of experience in the cruise industry, having served in a variety of capacities, including Chief Engineer with Crystal Cruises and Cunard.

Mr. John Slowsky is one of the true pioneers in computer graphic design. Beginning his career in 1986, Mr. Slowsky has worked in a variety of industries including advertising, marketing, architectural design and entertainment. Mr. Slowsky has produced best-selling, award-winning productions for such companies as Tolkien Enterprises, Warner Bros., The House of Blues, Imaginary Forces, Sony, THQ, and Vivendi Universal. Mr. Slowsky was most notably the Art Director for Tolkien Enterprises: The Lord of the Rings.

Ms. Nancy Iraggi has been designing in various media for over 20 years. With a background in Fine Art, Surface Design and Visual Merchandising, her aesthetic and expertise in multiple disciplines translates inspiration into reality. Ms. Iraggi has a well-established reputation among her clientele, both residential and commercial, for providing classic, timeless interiors that are warm and inviting. Her signature style is sophisticated and clean, mixing traditional influences with modern sensibilities.