Dr. Aleka Mandaraka-Sheppard
The www.allaboutshipping.co.uk Top 100 women in Shipping for 2019
2019 was the year devoted to Women in the Shipping Industry: “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community” was IMO’s theme for World Maritime Day 2019. This year, we …drop our annual lists of Top 100 people, events and other categories of citations and we prioritise our Top 100 women. That was a very difficult decision but all things being equal, honouring our Seawise Women at this turning point was a MUST! During January 2020 our team worked non-stop in collecting and collating info, notes and other ‘bits and pieces’ to ensure a fair and just survey honouring Women. These rankings, although at first glance might contain some surprises, if you go in depth you will see the real qualities and what each woman nominated has offered and influenced both our shipping world and the wider female community to all intents and purposes.
1 Dr. Aleka Mandaraka- Sheppard, Maritime Arbitrator, Chairman and Founder of the London Shipping Law Centre.
2 Irene Rosberg, Programme Director Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics (The Blue MBA), Copenhagen Business School, Denmark and President of WISTA Denmark.
3 Catherina Stanzel, Managing Director at Intertanko, London, United Kingdom.
4 Margaret Llewellyn, Stella Marks and Gina Fyffe (the first international WISTA member). Three of the WISTA Founding Members in 1974, United Kingdom.
5 Semiramis S. Palios, Deputy CEO Diana Shipping Inc., Greece
6 Dr. Anne-Marrie Warris, founder ecoreflect Ltd, United Kingdom
7 Pailette Paleologou, Vice President, Hellenic, Black Sea & Adriatic Zone, Bureau Veritas Hellas A.E., Greece
8 Susan Terpilowski OBE, Founder Image Line and president WISTA UK
9 Bridget Hogan, Director of Publishing and Membership at The Nautical Institute, WISTA-United Kingdom
10 Christine Cabau Woehrel, director of Assets at CMA CGM and former head of Port of Marseille Fos, France
11 Charlotte Røjgaard, Global Technical Manager for Verifuel, Bureau Veritas, Denmark
12 Prof Averil Macdonald OBE, DSc, DUniv, FRSA Deputy Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers and Freelance Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, United Kingdom
13 Dr. Marina Papaioannou Head of the Maritime Academy Hellas, Maritime Service Centre & Advisory at DNV GL Maritime; Monika Lemajic, Naval Architect, Ship Repair Services Improvement Project manager Thales, Australia and CBS (Blue MBA) 2019 graduate, Australia
14 Tracey Gunnalaugsson Exxon/Mobil/Sea River, Houston, USA
15 Nicola Good, Journalist and Global Head of Brand & External Relations Marine & Offshore at Lloyd’s Register, UK
16 Danae Bezantakou CEO at Navigator Shipping Consultants, Secretary at the International Propeller Club Port of Piraeus, founder YES Forum, and president iforU, Greece
17 Suzanna P. Laskaridis, Lavinia Group and founder Real Time Graduates; Judith Patten MBE, Renewable Energy, Journalist and Media Consultant
18 Maria Ntouka-Montesantou, Legal Adviser at A1 Yachting Paleon Faliron, Athens, Greece; Maria Kouliga-Pavlou, CEO / founder of Trinity Insurance Brokers, president of the Hellenic Committee of Lloyd’s Brokers Associates, WISTA Hellas
19 Camila de Oliveira Diniz HESGB
20 Maria Dixon, Director, ISM Shipping Solutions Ltd, former WISTA UK president; Teresa Peacock, Managing Director Spinnaker Global and WISTA UK; Natalia Margioli Head of HMC and ICS Piraeus Branch, Greece
21 Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, WISTA International president and CEO Tototheo Group, Cyprus; Maria Karahaliou, PA to GEMA Marine Manager Marine Internal Training Coordinator at Lloyd’s Register EMEA, Greece.
22 Shelagh Ingledow, Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards and Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Events secretariat, Greece
23 Nusrat Ghani MP, UK minister of Shipping
24 Anna Vourgos, co-founder Aphentrica Marine Insurance Brokers and WISTA Cyprus President; Vasanti Selvaratnam QC at Stone Chambers, London
25 Irene S. Daifas, CEO at Stavros Daifas Maritime Corporation, president of the Piraeus Marine Club, member of WISTA Hellas and HELMEPA, Greece; Dorothea Ioannou Chief Commercial Officer at Shipowners Claims Bureau Inc., as Manager of the American P&I Club and WISTA Hellas
26 Pamela Tansey, former senior deputy director in the technical co-operation division of IMO; Captain Jessica Tyson, Master Mariner; Elpi J. Petrakis, director, Enea Management Greece and vice president WISTA Hellas, Greece
27 Natasha Brown, Media and Communications at the IMO, London, United Kingdom; Anne H. Steffensen, Director General of the Danish Shipowners Association, Denmark
28 Kristie Loutsiou, PA to Professor C. Th. Grammenos, Administrator for the Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance at CASS Business School, United Kingdom; Elinor Dautlich, solicitor and Partner at HFW, London, United Kingdom.
29 Euridice Livada – Ntouka, Author, Historian, Argostoli, Cephalonia, Greece; Heidi Heseltine, co-founder of the Diversity Group, United Kingdom; Dr. Helena Thanopoulou Professor at the University of the Aegean at the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, Greece
30 Angie Hartmann, head of Crew Dept at Star Bulk and president of WISTA-Hellas, ExCo WISTA International, Greece; Stamatia Tsevelekou, deputy manager Cruise and Ferry Terminal at PPA/COSCO, Greece
31 Ioanna Topaloglou CEO at Orion Insurance Brokers & Consultants, BoD at WISTA Hellas
32 Jeanne Grasso, attorney, partner at Black Rome LLP and WISTA USA board member
33 Birgit Liodden, Founder/CEO, The Ocean Opportunity Lab, Chair, Norwegian Environmental Boats Association, Board Member, Bellona and WISTA Norway; Sabrina Chao of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport, Hong Kong and BIMCO’s President Designate
34 H.E. Ms Kate Smith CMG, UK Ambassador to Greece; Gabriela Aresu of Studio Legale Aresu and WISTA Italy
35 Rosana Velasco, HISPANIA P&I Correspondent, WISTA Spain
36 Bjørg Ekornrud of the Norwegian Maritime Exporters and former president of WISTA Norway
37 Sedan Kaptanoglu, Kaptanoglu Shipping Group of Companies, President & Chairperson of the Board, BIMCO; Turkey Carly Fields, editor ICS membership magazine, United Kingdom
38 Pia Meling, Massterly AS and WISTA Norway president
39 Helle Hammer, CEFOR, Norway.
40 Natasa Pilides, Cyprus’ Shipping Deputy minister; H.E. Cristina Liakopoulos de Papadikis, former Panamanian Ambassador in Greece (2014 -2019)
41 Kathy Metcalf CEO, Chamber of Shipping of America
42 Birgit Sølling Olsen, former deputy director of the Danish Maritime Authority
43 Catherine Smith, General Council & Company Secretary of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Ltd and WISTA Hong Kong president
44 Shoko Kamimori, president Fukada Salvage & Marine Works, Japan and WISTA Japan president
45 Olga Lazovskaya, a founder member of WISTA Russia and leading marine insurance specialist, Russia
46 Anna Maria Monogioudis Aegean Protective Coatings, Piraeus, Greece and WISTA Hellas former president
47 Ayse Asli Basak, Mid-ship group LLC, Turkey
48 Ana Paula Vitorino, Minister of Sea, Portugal, from 26 Nov 2015 until 26 Oct 2019
49 Daphne Angelidou president WISTA Argentina and CEO at Agencia Maritima Intercontinental
50 Eleni Letoni, Communications, Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator for Greece, Cyprus & Malta at Bureau Veritas, Piraeus, Greece; Peggy Høegh Grays, ship operator at Stolt- Nielsen, USA and CBS (Blue MBA holder Class of 2019) graduate.
51 Patty Apostolopoulou, Lloyd’s Register, United Kingdom and HESGB Secretary; Prof Gonda Van Steen, Academic, Koraes Chair of Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature. Director, Centre for Hellenic Studies at King’s London
52 Claudia Ohlmeier, DNV GL, president WISTA Germany; Clare Gomes, Strategic Planning & Communications Executive at AMSOL, South Africa and WISTA South Africa President
53 Ilya R. Espino de Marotta, Panama Canal, engineer, Executive Vice President for Engineering in the Panama Canal Authority, WISTA Panama; Elena Sendona, Fashion designer and journalist, Greece
54 Maria Radwanska, marine insurance executive in Gdynia, Poland; Debbi Bonner, founder of j-l-a media in UK
55 Marianne Sørensen, CFO a Ramboll, Denmark; Winnie Sorensen, Director, Coach & Facilitator at Wenford People and Executive Career Coach at Executive Connexions Ltd., United Kingdom; WISTA UK
56 Gianela Rivas, commercial director at Moscoso & Partners Panama and WISTA Panama sub secretary
57 Maria J. Angelicoussis, Maran Gas Maritime Inc., Greece.
58 Margarita Mavromichalis, photographer, United Kingdom and Greece
59 Jenny Pournara, Secretary at the Piraeus Association of Maritime Arbitrators and WISTA Hellas member
60 Gabriela Araya, director of Grupo SETIMSA, Panama and president of WISTA Panama
61 Prof. Yvonne Baatz, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary, University of London;
62 Belinda Bucknall, QC, Quadrant Chambers, London
63 Olga Bornozis, Managing director at Capital Link
64 Monica Kohli, GARD (UK) Ltd office and WISTA UK member; Janet Porter, journalist at Informa, United Kingdom
65 Sherice Arman, Maples and Cadler, president WISTA Cayman Islands; Laia Politou, solicitor, the Swedish P&I Club, Greece
66 Philippa Hopkins, QC from Essex Court Chambers, London, United Kingdom
67 Alexandra Anagnostis, president Total Marine Services, USA and WISTA USA, WISTA International Secretary; Sumiit Sharma, Head-Regional Sales, Head-Client Relations at Logistics Kart and WISTA India President
68 Parker Harrison, SVP and General Councel at Crowley Maritime Corp, WISTA USA president
69 Poonam Melwani, QC a Quadrant Chambers, London, United Kingdom
70 Lamia Kerdjoudj-Belkaid, Secretary General FEPORT, Brussels, Belgium; Karolina Kjellgren, Vice President, Oceania Trade, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean and President WISTA Sweden
71 Rosalind Blazejczyk, Naval Architect, Managing Partner of Solis Marine, London, United Kingdom; Aline de Bievre, Journalist, Technical Writer & Editor – Maritime, United Kingdom.
72 Captain Radhika Menon, Indian Merchant Navy captain; Julia Dias, QC a 7KBW, London, United Kingdom
73 Isabella Ryckbost, ESPO secretary general, Brussels, Belgium; Susan Bill, Tax Partner at BDO, London, United Kingdom; Sofia Falida, International Business Development Department at Antipollution S.A and as of Autumn 2019, Business Development Manager at Polyeco Group, Greece
74 Boriana Farrar, VPC and Business development at Shipowners Claims Bureau managers of the American P&I Club and WISTA USA
75 Dr. Sasha Heriot, Business Development and Portfolio Manager Wärtsilä Corporation, Nicola Cox, lawyer, West of England; Sanjam Gupta, director Sitara Shipping Ltd India and WISTA’s International ExCo member for Middle East, Asia, Pacific Region
76 Julie Lithgow, Director at the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and WISTA UK member
77 Frances Baskerville, Secretary General of CIRM, London, United Kingdom; Isabella Jones, The Bahamas Maritime Authority, United Kingdom; Maria Yiassa, The Swedish Club, Greece and WISTA Hellas
78 Anna Kalliani, co-president BHCC (British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce), Athens, Greece; Maria Christina Ktistakis, Genmar Shipping and WISTA Hellas, ex-president WISTA-Hellas
79 Mariella Bottiglieri, manager of GBSC, WISTA Switzerland member
80 Unni Einemo, director of IBIA, IBIA’s representative at the IMO; Olga Jaques, Business Development & Events Manager at Maritime London
81 Martina Meinders-Michael, Managing Director at MSM, WISTA Cyprus; Jean Richards founder of Quantum Shipping Services, United Kingdom, and WISTA UK member
82 Mia Jensen, Greek director & Events Marine Money International; Angeliki Frangou CEO of Navios, Greece
83 Eustacia (Staci) Weist, USCG, USA; Roula Tzamtzi, Chartwell Chartering Department, Glyfada, Athens, Greece
84 Christina Dupre Roos, partner at Blue C media, Norway
85 Carleen Lyden Walker, CEO at Morgan Marketing & Communications, IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador, NAMEPA, WISTA USA; Fotini Emiri, Aurora, Greece; Alexandra Gana, operations manager at Ganmar Shipping, Politician and WISTA Hellas member
86 Isabella Schidrich, Managing Director at NASDAQ United Kingdom; Nazli Selek, NSN law firm and president WISTA Turkey
87 Dr.Sonia Ajini, Managing Director at Ajilex Ltd, WISTA Cyprus
88 Elina Souli, American Club, Piraeus Greece, WISTA Hellas; Natasa Vassilaki of Naftiliaki/Seatrade, WISTA Hellas
89 Artemis Vamvakopoulou, Co-Founder/Managing Partner at EXTROVERT Business Communications and Posidonia Exhibition Press Office, Athens, Greece
90 Maria Mavroudi marine insurance broker at Triple A Marine Insurance Brokers and founder of Kallichoron Boutique Hotel, Island of Astypalaia Greece, and WISTA Hellas member.
91 Sofia Konstantopoulou, Global head, marketing & events at IBIA and founder of GIWA (Greek International Women’s Awards), London, United Kingdom; Kira Phoenix K’inan, Glass Artist Photographer, Painter, Environmentalist and Glass Tutor, London, United Kingdom
92 Anna Yudaeva, Lawyer, Steamship Insurance Management Services Limited, London, United Kingdom
93 Aspasia Rallis, Events Governor, Yacht Club of Greece
94 Marina Tzoutzouraki, co-founder & CFO at eShipfinance, Athens, Greece; Peggy Papastavrou, lawyer at ATHEX Exchange, WISTA Hellas; Ioanna Procopiou, CEO Sea Traders and founder of Prominence Maritime S.A., Athens, Greece; Karin Orsel, Marin Ship Management BV and former WISTA International president, The Netherlands
95 Irene Notias, Founder and Managing Director at Prime Bunkerplus, Propeller Club Port of Piraeus Piraeus BoG member, founder Project Connect and Adopt a Ship, Athens, Greece; Patricia Velasquez, Commercial director and Deputy Registrar at Macosnar Corporation, former president of Panama Chamber of Shipping 2018-2019 and WISTA Panama; Iris Liaskonis, Director Seascape, WISTA Hellas and Propeller Club Port of Piraeus member.
96 Gina Panayiotou, Lawyer at Michael Kyprianou, journalist and WISTA Cyprus member; Katerina Stathopoulou MICS, Executive director at Investments & Finance, Tutor, WISTA Hellas and WISTA International ExCo member
97 Margareth J. Mosquera T., Lawyer at Arias & Associates, Panama; Katerina Fitsiou director and relationship manager at XRTC Greece and treasurer of the Association of Banking & Shipping Executives of Hellenic Shipping – the only woman in the board and long lasting member; Yasmina Rauber, Swiss Maritime Services, WISTA Switzerland past president; Consuelo Rivero Diaz, Ership, SAU, Ship agency and WISTA Spain
98 Ida Stier, founder Stier Group, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands; Tahra Sergeant, IBIA Africa, South Africa; Christiana Prekeze, Director HELMEPA, WISTA Hellas member; Maria Angelidou, Manager at GAC Greece and Board member at WISTA-Hellas
99 Maria Papadoyanne, Manager at Seascape Marine & Trading Ltd, WISTA Hellas; Maria Belen Espineira, Lawyer and vice president WISTA Argentina
100 Ana Irene Delgado, Senator in Panama, former Ambassador of Panama in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Iceland and member of Panama’s Olympic team in fenching, devoted participant at the annual Davos Forum ; Anna Kaparaki, Lecturer in Maritime Law at John Moores University, Liverpool, and Solicitor at Mackinnons Solicitors LLP, United Kingdom.-
26 comments
Thank you for the honour, it is a great surprised! I recognised the names of many friends in the list and they all are wonderful professionals! Anne our dearest Anne Zade, also deserves to be there, her work parallel to yours have made possible that this publication is internationally recognised as a truly maritime press thank you!
Wonderful to see Anna Kaparaki in the list. She has done so much to drive links between Propeller Club Liverpool and the maritime student population. So richly deserved! I would hope next year that women such as Sue Henney, Charlotte Morton, Robyn Pyne, Hazel Sivori, Holly Bibby and Anneley Pickles make the list. We are so blessed with such incredible women in maritime in Liverpool! Come up and meet them…you may have to make it a Top 200 next time 🙂
Delighted to see Steamship’s Anna Yudaeva at 92, the only P&I Club employee I could see on the list. Congratulations to our correspondents Rosana Velasco of Hispania P&I Correspondents (35) and Ida Stier of Grupo Stier at 98. Well done to all.
Thank you so much I am honoured to be amongst such amazing women!
What an honor to be included amongst a list of such excellent contributors to the industry I love! Thank you so very much for this recognition!
I am very happy to see Mrs. Anna Yudaeva of Steamship in this list of shipping experts, although her ability, merits and level of knowledge do worth more highest place. Dear Anna, well done and thanks.
Such a great initiative! And I’m so grateful for the surprise of finding my name in the list, as I was only reading for inspiration and spotting talented and inspirational women!
I’m delighted and humbled to be included in this list. I know I speak for many when I say that shipping’s journalists and editors are often overlooked in these kind of lists, but the work we do is no less important in shaping and challenging the shipping industry. Congrats to all my fellow nominees too; together we make a difference in the maritime world.
Thank you so much for this recognition and very nice surprise. I am honored to be amongst such amazing women in the maritime industry!
I am proud of my dear friend Asli, you inspire everyone and I am sure we will have more Turkish names on this list that are guided with your light.
Congrats!!
Although Aslı isn’t a Kaptain and has been falsely claiming she is to become more recognised in the maritime industry.
She is only looking for sell gain and not to help others
Aslı claims to be a ‘Kaptan’ and falsely uses this rank to self promote herself for her own personal gain and not to help others….the credentials of such a person should be checked before issuing awards such as pwn’s gender balanced leader or young ships top ten woman to watch.
It is these false claims of being a ‘Kaplan’ that has pushed Aslı into such awards.
Speaking at events and conferences claiming to be a Kaptan and companies wrongly and unknowingly promoting her as such is a detriment to the maritime industry especially here in the UK where many woman work so hard to become real captains.
Thank you so much for the honor !!!’
Thank you very much, I am honored!!!
Thank you very much indeed! I am honored and now inspired further more to be amongst such wonderful women if shipping !
Thank you very much indeed! I am honored and inspired!
Wonderful to see so many excellent people here and sending my respect to industry colleagues in this list. All of us work hard to do our bit in a truly innovative, exciting and forward thinking maritime world. It’s a privilege to be able to work with you. Thank you.
So pleased to many ladies accomplishing great things! Congratulations!
Throughout over 20 years I have had the opportunity to see Maria Dixon work hard and with great passion contributing to the Shipping Industry.
Beyond her dedication and efforts she is always willing to spend time and energy to help others! We all appreciate that, so congratulations on this recognitions of your merits. You have made us all proud! ??
Seems that you need to be a no one, but been member of WISTA to be in the list of top 100 Women. Thats how this tyoe of lists loose importance, and no one beleive tthem.
Many thanks for the great honour of being included among the extraordinary women on this list. Let’s hope 2019 will not be the only year of empowering women in the maritime community.
THANK YOU SO MUCH HONORED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Honoured to be part of this list of amazing women in the industry. Thank you.
I am disappointed not seeing Asian Women in this list ? Whats your criteria ?
I am most delighted that I have been included in this List of the 100 Top Women for 2019 by AllAboutShipping.
I am very pleased that amongst them I have spotted all these ladies Dr. Aleka Mandaraka-Sheppard, Maria Ntouka-Montesantou, Elinor Dautlich, Jeanne Grasso, Gabriela Aresu, Prof. Yvonne Baatz, Laia Politou, Nicola Cox, Nazli Selek, Anna Yudaeva, Peggy Papastavrou, Gina Panayiotou, Margareth J. Mosquera T. and Maria Belen Espineira, all being from the legal profession alike me.
Congratulations to all of you, as well as other women included in the list and all women who did not make it for the list this time, wishing them wholeheartedly that one day they will also make it to the Top.
[…] The previous year’s list and its finale became the most Popular Post of all times in Allaboutshipping! […]
Grateful to be part of this fantastic women team. Sincere congrats to the Winner and all participants