# Richard Hardiman

> Richard Hardiman is a South African entrepreneur and former journalist and radio presenter who founded RanMarine Technology in Rotterdam in 2016. Inspired by workers collecting harbour litter with a pool net, he developed the idea behind WasteShark, a surface vessel that collects floating debris and can gather water-quality data. Formerly its CEO, he is identified in September and October 2026 company communications as Founder & President.

- **Role:** Founder & President at RanMarine Technology
- **Organizations:** RanMarine Technology, KFM, 2oceansvibe Radio
- **Nationality:** South African
- **Education:** Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Founded RanMarine Technology in 2016., Developed the original concept behind WasteShark and brought it into commercial service with his team in 2017., AACSB Influential Leaders honoree, 2019.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2009** — Worked in journalism and radio, including KFM; later co-founded 2oceansvibe Radio.
- **2009** — Completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration at UCT GSB.
- **2013-2015** — Developed the WasteShark concept and early prototypes in Cape Town; accounts differ on the precise year of the original waterfront observation.
- **2016** — Joined the PortXL accelerator in Rotterdam and founded RanMarine Technology.
- **2017** — First commercial WasteSharks deployed; spoke at TEDxCapeTownSalon in December.
- **2019** — Recognised as an AACSB Influential Leader.
- **2020** — Moved with his family to Rotterdam; appointed full-time RanMarine CEO in July, according to the 2023 annual report.
- **2026** — Company communications identify him as Founder & President; current team page lists Mike Foss as CEO & Chairman.

## Achievements

- Founded RanMarine Technology in 2016.
- Developed the original concept behind WasteShark and brought it into commercial service with his team in 2017.
- AACSB Influential Leaders honoree, 2019.
- Delivered The accidental environmentalist at TEDxCapeTownSalon in December 2017.
- RanMarine received a CES Innovation Award in 2022.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — RanMarine announced Hardiman as a speaker at Deutsche Telekom IoT’s Discovery Lunch in London on October 15; the event is upcoming as of October 14.
- **2026-09** — Published a tenth-anniversary founder letter describing RanMarine operations in 37 territories and plans for modular water-management vessels.

## Links

- Website: https://www.ranmarine.io/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhardiman/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/RichardHardiman

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/richard-hardiman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-14