Our History
On 2 December 1974, a handful of women brokers involved in the tanker market met for a Christmas lunch at the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in London UK.
In 1981, the first conference of “Ladies in Shipping” took place in Hamburg.
In 1984, when the conference was held in Stockholm, it was decided to change the name to Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association, WISTA.
WISTA NWA Presidents
WISTA EXCO Founders 50 years
“WISTA International has provided a space where I can connect with like-minded professionals and expand my network globally, helping me to grow both personally and professionally.”
WISTA AGM & Conference Hamburg 1981
PREVIOUS MEMBERS OF THE WISTA INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Executive Committee 2023 – 2024
From left to right: Dafne Angelidis, WISTA Argentina; Nazli Selek, WISTA Turkey; Meredith Kirby, WISTA USA; Raimah Chowdhurry, WISTA Bangladesh; Elpi Petraki, WISTA Hellas; Jemilat Jawulaa Mahamah, WISTA Ghana; Connie Roozen, WISTA The Netherlands;
Executive Committee 2022 – 2023
From left to right: Dafne Angelidis, WISTA Argentina; Jemilat Jawulaa Mahamah, WISTA Ghana; Raimah Chowdhurry, WISTA Bangladesh; Elpi Petraki, WISTA Hellas; Nazli Selek, WISTA Turkey; Connie Roozen, WISTA The Netherlands;
Executive Committee 2021 – 2022
From left to right: Connie Roozen, WISTA The Netherlands; Nazli Selek, WISTA Turkey; Fabiana Martins, WISTA Brazil; Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, WISTA Cyprus; Naa Densua Aryeetey, WISTA Ghana; Sofia Furstenberg Stott, WISTA Sweden; Alexandra Anagnostis, WISTA USA
Executive Committee 2019 – 2021
From left to right: Fabiana Martins, WISTA Brazil; Sanjam Gupta, WISTA India; Alexandra Anagnostis, WISTA USA; Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, WISTA Cyprus; Connie Roozen, WISTA The Netherlands; Angie Hartmann, WISTA Hellas; Naa Densua Aryeetey, WISTA Ghana.
Executive Committee 2018 – 2019
From left to right: Connie Roozen, WISTA The Netherlands; Jeanne Grasso, WISTA USA; Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, WISTA Cyprus; Sanjam Gupta WISTA India; Diane Edwards, WISTA New Zealand; Naa Densua Aryeetey, WISTA Ghana; Angie Hartmann, WISTA Hellas.
Executive Committee 2017 – 2018
From left to right: Jeanne Grasso, WISTA USA, Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, WISTA Cyprus, Rachel Lawton, WISTA UK, Sanjam Gupta WISTA India, Diane Edwards, WISTA New Zealand and Naa Densua Aryeetey, WISTA Ghana. (Not in the picture Katherina Stathopoulou, WISTA Hellas).
Executive Committee 2015 – 2016
From left to right: Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, WISTA Cyprus, Rachel Lawton, WISTA UK, Jeanne Grasso, WISTA USA, Karin Orsel, WISTA the Netherlands, Katherina Stathopoulou, WISTA Hellas, Sanjam Gupta, WISTA India and Naa Densua Aryeetey, WISTA Ghana.
Executive Committee 2014 – 2015
From left to right: Sanjam Gupta, WISTA India, Rachel Lawton, WISTA UK, Katherina Stathopoulou, WISTA Hellas, Tosan Edodo-Emore, WISTA Nigeria, Jeanne Grasso, WISTA USA, Karin Orsel, WISTA the Netherlands and Consuelo Rivero, WISTA Spain.
Executive Committee 2013 – 2014
From left to right: Jasamin Fichte, WISTA UAE, Tosan Edodo-Emore, WISTA Nigeria, Katherina Stathopoulou, WISTA Hellas, Karin Orsel, WISTA the Netherlands, Rachel Lawton, WISTA UK, Jeanne Grasso, WISTA USA and Consuelo Rivero, WISTA Spain.
Executive Committee 2012 – 2013
From left to right: Consuelo Rivero, WISTA Spain, Rachel Lawton, WISTA UK, Jasamin Fichte, WISTA UAE, Irene Lim, WISTA Singapore, Karin Orsel, WISTA the Netherlands, Katherina Stathopoulou, WISTA Hellas and Tosan Edodo-Emore, WISTA Nigeria.
Executive Committee 2011 – 2012
From left to right: Irene Rosberg, WISTA Denmark, Kathy Haines, WISTA USA, Nuvara Uslu Erdonmez, WISTA Turkey, Karin Orsel, WISTA the Netherlands, Tosan Edodo Emore, WISTA Nigeria, Consuelo Rivero, WISTA Spain and Irene Lim, WISTA Singapore.
Executive Committee 2010 – 2011
From left to right: Anna Hammargren, WISTA Sweden, Vera Chalkidis, WISTA Hellas, Dime Agboire, WISTA Nigeria, Consuelo Rivero, WISTA Spain, Irene Rosberg, WISTA Denmark, Kathy Haines, WISTA USA and Irene Lim, WISTA Singapore.
Executive Committee 2009 – 2010
From left to right: Dime Agboire, WISTA Nigeria, Consuelo Rivero, WISTA Spain, Anna Hammargren, WISTA Sweden, Vera Chaldikis, WISTA Hellas, Kathy Haines, WISTA USA, Irene Lim, WISTA Singapore and Irene Rosberg, WISTA Denmark.
WISTA International AGM & Conference
WISTA International AGM & Conference has been held annually since 1981, organised by the following National WISTA Associations:
- 2025 Barcelona, Spain
- 2024 Limassol, Cyprus
- 2023 Montevideo, Uruguay
- 2022 Geneva, Switzerland
- 2021 Hamburg, Germany
- 2020 Online
- 2019 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- 2018 Tromso, Norway
- 2017 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- 2016 KONINGSDAM, Holland/America Line, USA
- 2015 Istanbul, Turkey
- 2014 Limassol, Cyprus
- 2013 Montreal, Canada
- 2012 Paris, France
- 2011 Stockholm, Sweden
- 2010 Athens, Greece
- 2009 London, UK
- 2008 New Orleans, USA
- 2007 Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2006 Singapore
- 2005 Hamburg, Germany
- 2004 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 2003 Durban, South Africa
- 2002 Oslo, Norway
- 2001 Cagliari, Italy
- 2000 Gothenburg, Sweden
- 1999 London, UK 25th Anniversary
- 1998 New York, USA
- 1997 Helsinki, Finland
- 1996 Athens, Greece
- 1995 Genoa, Italy
- 1994 Hamburg, Germany
- 1993 Liverpool, UK
- 1992 Copenhagen, Denmark
- 1991 Marseilles, France
- 1990 Athens, Greece
- 1989 Antwerp, Belgium
- 1988 Lisbon, Portugal
- 1987 Oslo, Norway
- 1986 Madrid, Spain
- 1985 London, UK
- 1984 Stockholm, Sweden
- 1983 Le Havre/Paris, France
- 1982 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 1981, Hamburg, Germany