African presence reinforced at WISTA AGM
New national associations and international committee announced
Egypt became the latest African country to establish a national chapter of the Women in Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) at the International AGM and Conference held in Kuala Lumpur at the end of October.
Egypt joins Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa to represent the African continent on the international stage. In addition, Amsha Gengan of South Africa has been elected to the International Executive Committee ensuring that the continent is once again represented as Jemilat Mahamah of Ghana steps down after four years of service.
The former WISTA Belgium President and CEO of maritime provider Bogerd Martin, Céline Mortier, was formally appointed as the new President.
The appointment follows two terms as President for Elpi Petraki, who brought four years at the helm of the global association to a close at the event, staged in Kuala Lumpur, 28-30 October.
“I am delighted to take on the role of President of WISTA International at a time of continued growth for our global network and undertake to work with purpose to advance WISTA’s mission and impact,” said Mortier.
“Our greatest strength lies in the knowledge, experience and connections within our global network. By bringing these together, strengthening collaboration across borders and supporting our National WISTA Associations, we can turn that collective expertise into meaningful action. We also have an important role to play in attracting the next generation of talent and showcasing the opportunities our industry has to offer,” added Mortier.
In addition to Egypt, another three new national associations were announce; Bahamas, Montenegro and the Philippines – bringing its total number of national associations to 64, while WISTA member numbers worldwide exceed 6,500.
The full committee:
◼︎ PRESIDENT: Céline Mortier (Belgium)
◼︎ Nazli Selek
◼︎ Meredith Kirby
◼︎ Mariella Collazzi
◼︎ Maryana Stober
◼︎ Diruni Chanmugam
◼︎ Amsha Gengan
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