WISTA International, the leading organization empowering women in the maritime industry, is proud to announce the official ratification of its Committee chairs for the term 2023-2024. The endorsement was unanimously approved during today’s Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting held in London.
In addition to this significant development, WISTA International has achieved a remarkable milestone by surpassing 4000 members worldwide. With an ever-expanding network of accomplished women, WISTA International is excellently positioned to continue its work in driving progress and fostering opportunities for women in the maritime industry.
WISTA International has launched two new standing committees: Yachting and Environmental.
These exceptional and dedicated professionals will lead their respective committees, working tirelessly to support WISTA International’s mission of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the maritime sector. Sue Terpilowski OBE and Yasmina Rauber will co-chair the Diversity Committee, while Gina Panayiotou and Marielle Gehlert will serve as co-chairs of the Environmental Committee. Danae Bezantakou will lead the HR Committee, Marjolein Van Noort will head the Tech Committee, Paula Pasten will be responsible for the Trade Committee, and Ingrid Gantard will lead the Yachting Committee.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International, stated, “We are delighted to welcome this talented group of women as committee chairs. WISTA International is excited to continue its vital work promoting diversity and inclusion in the maritime industry. It is steadfast in its commitment to providing a platform for women to succeed and thrive. Furthermore, our organization has reached a historic milestone with 4000 members worldwide. This achievement underscores the growing recognition of gender diversity’s crucial role in the maritime industry and highlights the essential work that WISTA undertakes to empower women in this field.”
The committee chairs, together with their respective committees, will collaborate to develop and implement initiatives that support WISTA International’s mission. These committees will also provide comprehensive support to the Executive Committee, actively participate in preparing WISTA’s presence in regional and international forums and stay abreast of global developments that impact their specific areas of interest.
President of WISTA International, Elpi Petraki, added “We couldn’t be more excited to have this powerhouse team of women as our Committee chairs. With their expertise and passion, we will continue to create opportunities for women to thrive and break barriers in the maritime industry.”
WISTA International’s Standing Committees comprise members from around the world and from as many different National Women’s Associations as possible to boost inclusion and diversity in decision-making. Each Committee is open to one representative per WISTA NWA. WISTA International warmly congratulates the newly appointed committee chairs and eagerly anticipates their invaluable contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion in the maritime industry.
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WISTA’s Committee’s remits are below:
Diversity Committee – ExCo Representative: Raimah Chowdhury
The Diversity Committee will work to develop resources and recommendations for increasing gender diversity and inclusion within the shipping, trading and logistic industries by championing diversity, equity and inclusion. The committee aims to help create a maritime industry that thrives on the strengths of its diverse workforce and offers equal opportunities for all.
Environmental Committee – ExCo Representative: Nazli Selek
The Environment Committee will work closely with other WISTA International committees, the Executive Committee, and the broader membership to fulfil its remit. By taking a leadership role in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable practices, the committee aims to create a positive impact on the maritime industry while empowering women to be change agents in the field of environmental sustainability.
HR Committee – ExCo Representative: Jemilat Mahamah
The Human Resources Committee is responsible for developing and effectively implementing strategies to disseminate knowledge to all NWAs and promoting the training of younger generations, who will, in turn, assume positions of responsibility in the future, as well as life-long education programs available for members.
Technology Committee – ExCo Representative: Nazli Selek
The Technology Committee coordinates the strategic conversation and WISTA’s position on how technology and digital trends are shaping the future of the maritime, trading and logistics sectors. The purpose is to enhance the dialogue on how women have an impact across the technology ecosystem and how the maritime sector can thrive through diversity within technology.
Trade Committee – ExCo Representative: Dafne Anghelidis
The Trade Committee aims to begin and strengthen collaborations for trade facilitation by promoting sustainable growth and creating an inclusive and prosperous trade environment that benefits all stakeholders in the maritime industry.
Yachting Committee – ExCo Representative: Connie Roozen
The Yachting Committee will be responsible for networking and facilitating beneficial cooperation between the yachting sector and WISTA to seek synergies between the yachting and the maritime, logistics and trade industries.
About WISTA International
Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA International) – www.wistainternational.com – was founded in 1974 in the UK as a global organization connecting female executives to maritime and decision-makers worldwide.
WISTA International incorporates 56 National WISTA Association (NWA), representing over 4,000 female professionals from all maritime industry sectors. NWAs provide in-country and regional networking, business and skill-building opportunities, corporate visibility and facilitate industry relationships.
WISTA works toward the following:
• Minimizing the existing gender leadership gap in the maritime, trading and logistics sectors.
• Building a community among its members, facilitating the exchange of contacts, information and experiences.
• Promoting the creation of business relationships among its members.
• Facilitating the professional development of its members.
• Providing liaison with other related institutions and organizations worldwide.
