Primary Job Title Founder & CEO Primary Organization 
Ocean Group
Location New York, New York, United States Regions Greater New York Area, East Coast, Northeastern US Gender Male
Website blackocean.com/ LinkedIn View on LinkedIn X (Twitter) View on X
Oliver Ripley is an international entrepreneur and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Habitas and Black Ocean Group. Ripley was born in the United Kingdom and educated at Eton College and Oxford University. He is fluent in six languages.
In 2005, Oliver Ripley co-founded Ocean Group, a private holding company that builds businesses in
high-growth industries to create long-term value. There he oversaw the growth of the company’s real-estate portfolio in Europe and Russia. Today, the company is active in a range of industries and has offices in New York, London, Geneva and Moscow.
Oliver is also founder and CEO of Black Ocean, Ocean Group’s digital media company that invests in, builds and operates technology businesses around the world. Oliver Ripley co-founded the firm in 2010 and since then, it has grown to have a big international presence. Black Ocean is notable for its hands-on approach and close collaboration with the companies that it invests in.
In addition to business development and technology investment, Oliver Ripley is highly engaged in the hospitality sector. In 2014, Ripley co-founded Habitas, a hospitality management group, of which he is CEO today. The company seeks to redefine the hotel experience by developing inspiring sustainable properties in remarkable locations, starting with its first property in Tulum, Mexico in 2018. Habitas also organises unforgettable experiences around the world.
Oliver is very active in the non-for-profit field. He co-founded Habitas Rise, a philanthropic initiative seeking to support impacted communities around the world through culture, art, self-expression and community infrastructure. Recent projects have involved working closely with a refugee camp in Uganda.
Oliver has also served as board member at Beespace, a non-profit incubator that has helped launch a new generation of innovative start-up companies.
