About this Event
Strengthening Maritime Infrastructure for the Future
Oceans are no longer just pathways for commerce; they are critical infrastructure underpinning global trade, security, and energy flows. In an era defined by renewed great power competition and rapid technological change, maritime dominance is being redefined in real time. For Hawai‘i, this shift is not abstract; it sits at the center of the Indo-Pacific’s operational and economic future. As maritime security dynamics evolve, global trade routes face increasing pressure, and energy demand continues to rise, the gap between strategic necessity and private market investment in key U.S. maritime sectors is becoming more pronounced. This discussion will explore what it will take to modernize maritime capabilities and infrastructure—locally and nationally—to ensure resilience, competitiveness, and security in the decades ahead.
About the Speaker
Erik Bethel is a seasoned global finance professional with extensive experience across both the private and public sectors. He is currently the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Mare Liberum (www.mareliberum.com), a venture capital firm focused on investing at the intersection of critical technologies and the maritime domain.
Previously, Mr. Bethel was nominated by the President and unanimously confirmed by the Senate to serve as the U.S. Executive Director at the World Bank, where he participated in the analysis and deployment of more than $100 billion in financing, including grants, loans, equity investments, and other instruments supporting global development. In 2020, he was also nominated to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Panama.
Before entering public service, Mr. Bethel spent over two decades in investment banking and private equity. He began his career at Morgan Stanley in New York, later joining J.P. Morgan’s private equity group, and went on to co-found SLC Capital, which was acquired by Franklin Templeton Investments, where he subsequently served as a managing director.
Mr. Bethel earned a BS in Economics and Political Science from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin. He also serves on the Board of the U.S. Naval War College Foundation, is a Senior Advisor at CSIS, and sits on the International Advisory Council of Oxford Analytica.
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