WISTA Chalkidis Elects President

Vera Chalkidis, commercial director of Athenian Sea Carriers has been chosen to succeed Marita Scott of NorthEdge Risk Services, Bergen, who has held the presidency for four years.

Athenian Sea Carriers is a tanker management company that prides itself on its support for sustainable commerce.  It was the first shipping entity to obtain ISO9001 certification for the design, development and provision of training courses for its seafarers.

Chalkidis is a representative of WISTA-Hellas, and her election comes at a time when WISTA International has asked its Greek section to prepare for the next annual conference, which will be in Athens from September 29-October 1 2010.

Elected at the 2009 WISTA International conference, which has been held in London from September 16-18, Ms Chalkidis urged the 200-plus delegates “to seize every minute, every hour” of the WISTA event to follow closely the debates and workshops. She said: “Knowledge will give you the strength to rise to the top by breaking the ‘glass ceiling.’”

Scott said that her presidency had been an extremely rewarding time, and given her the opportunity to get to know so many competent people around the world.

In the past few years, individual WISTA membership has risen substantially, to stand at 1,200 women from 27 countries.  The latest WISTA national associations to be formed have been in Hong Kong, Turkey, Switzerland and Panama, and work is continuing to expand the network further.

The WISTA international executive committee now comprises the following members, with additional oversight duties in brackets: Vera Chalkidis, president; Consuelo Rivero of Ership, secretary (also responsible for website); Kathleen Haines of Holbridge Capital Advisors, treasurer (also responsible for the Americas); Anna Risfelt Hammargren of Maritime Forum, responsible for branding, quality and as help secretary; Irene Rosberg, programme director, executive MBA in Shipping & Logistics, Copenhagen Business School, responsible for leadership, mentorship and women on the board, and rest of the world; Irene Lim of PACC Ship Managers Pte, responsible for conferences and Asia; and Dime Agboire of Iruene, Agboire & Co, responsible for Africa.

(www.wista.net)