Ziad Nakhleh was appointed as DryShips Chief Financial Officer in November 2009. Mr. Nakhleh has over 12 years of finance experience. From January, 2005 to September, 2008, he served as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. ("Aegean"), a publicly traded marine fuels logistics company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. From September 2008 to October 2009, Mr. Nakhleh was engaged in a consulting capacity to various companies in the shipping and marine fuels industries.

Prior to his time with Aegean, Mr. Nakhleh was employed at Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen in Athens. Mr. Nakhleh is a graduate of the University of Richmond in Virginia and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.