Francesco Ruisi – the journey so far
After finishing school in his hometown of Palermo, Italy, Ruisi joined a local Ro-Pax company as a cadet engineer.
A pivotal moment in Ruisi’s career came when, his vessel docked in Palermo and he noticed a nearby cruise ship, the Costa Marina, and was struck by the contrast between the clean, white uniforms of the engineers aboard the cruise ship and his own oil-stained coveralls. Motivated to pursue new opportunities, he applied to work for Costa Cruises and, within two months, found himself aboard the Costa Marina as a third engineer.
After 12 years at sea, Ruisi moved ashore to work in cruise ship construction. He then joined a class society as a surveyor, further broadening his technical and regulatory expertise. His diverse career also included roles such as superintendent for a chemical tanker company and technical manager for Greenpeace International, where he spent two years. These roles gave Ruisi a comprehensive understanding of different ship types and operational contexts.
Ruisi joined LR in Amsterdam in 2006 as a senior surveyor. His leadership capabilities were quickly spotted, and he was promoted to Senior Surveyor in charge of the Amsterdam office within two years.
In 2009 he took on new challenges in Asia, moving to China to oversee various projects for LR. Over the next decade, he held multiple roles, including Project Manager, Surveyor in Charge for Shanghai Port, and Area Manager overseeing operations in South China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
In 2019 Ruisi moved to Dubai to serve as Operations Manager for the Middle East and Africa, managing LR’s operations the region.
Ruisi moved to the Netherlands in 2022 and now considers it home. There he assumed the role of Commercial Manager for the Benelux region, overseeing a wide range of vessel types.
In August 2024, Ruisi was appointed LR’s VP Global Segment Director for Passenger Ships.
In his spare time, he enjoys travel, reading technical books and cooking for friends.