Idwal, the leading provider of independent vessel inspection and condition assessment services, has announced the appointment of Thom Herbert as Regional Lead, Asia, to head Business Development activities across the region. The move reflects Idwal’s continued focus on strengthening leadership capacity in Asia and accelerating opportunities within one of the world’s most strategically important maritime markets.

Effective immediately, Thom will oversee all aspects of Idwal’s business development and client engagement across the Asia region, working closely with the company’s regional and global leadership teams to streamline activity and consolidate Asia-centric growth initiatives through Idwal’s regional headquarters.

“This is a really positive step that plays to our strengths,” said Nick Owens, CEO of Idwal. “Having improved leadership and added bandwidth based in the region through Thom will make it easier for us to work closely together, build momentum, respond quickly to customer needs, and enable faster, more effective decision-making.”

Idwal’s growing presence in Asia reflects its success in driving adoption of the Idwal ID—the industry’s most trusted vessel grading and benchmarking system—across a diverse range of fleet operators. The company’s Asia team has recently secured several new contracts and trials with leading regional owners and managers of container ships, bulk carriers, crude oil and chemical tankers, offshore wind vessels, and other sea-going assets.

“Asia is a critical growth region for Idwal, and this appointment reinforces our long-term commitment to supporting customers here with faster response times, deeper engagement, and the same high-quality, data-driven inspection services that clients expect from Idwal globally,” said Thom Herbert, newly appointed Regional Lead, Asia. “I’m delighted to take on this leadership role and continue building on the fantastic progress our team has made across the region.”

The announcement comes amid growing demand for independent inspection and ESG-aligned vessel data in the Asian market, as regional shipowners and financial stakeholders increasingly prioritise transparency, operational performance, and sustainability.