WISTA International Elects New Board Members
November 1, 2019
Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) elected Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons, President of Total Marine Solutions (WISTA USA) as Secretary, and Fabiana Simões Martins (WISTA Brazil), as Board Member, to the WISTA International Executive Committee at the 39th WISTA International Annual General Meeting on Grand Cayman on 30 October 2019. Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou (WISTA Cyprus), CEO of Tototheo Maritime, was re-elected to a second term as President of WISTA International. Naa Densua Aryeetey (WISTA Ghana), Head, Shipper’s Services & Trade Facilitation, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, was re-elected to a third term as a Board Member.
2019-2020 WISTA International Executive Committee. Left to Right: Fabiana Simoes Martins, Sanjam Gupta, Alexandra Anagnostis, Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, Connie Roozen, Angie Hartmann, Naa Densua Aryeetey.
Despina P. Theodosiou, CEO Tototheo Maritime was re-elected to her second term as WISTA International President. Theodosiou has served as WISTA International Secretary before being elected president in 2017. Theodosiou is also a founder of WISTA Cyprus and serves on the Board of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation, and the Cyprus Maritime Academy.
“I am honored to be re-elected to a second term as President of WISTA International,” said Theodosiou. “2020 will be another exciting year for WISTA around the world and I’m looking forward to continuing the momentum. WISTA is committed to creating change in the industry and leading by example. It is important for us to focus toward the breadth of potential solutions and answers that diversity can bring us.”
Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons is President of Total Marine Solutions, a global environmental solutions company based in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Anagnostis-Irons is Immediate Past President of WISTA USA. Anagnostis-Irons takes over the position from Diane Edwards of WISTA New Zealand.
“WISTA plays an increasingly important role in giving women a voice in the future of our industry,” said Anagnostis-Irons. “It is an honor to be elected as Secretary, representing the interests of female professionals in nearly 50 countries.”
Fabiana Simões Martins is Partner at Siano & Martins Advogados Associados, a Rio de Janeiro based law firm focused on maritime law. Martins is the Immediate Past President of WISTA Brazil and a founder of WISTA Brazil. She has helped expand WISTA International throughout South America in the last five years.
“I am very honored and excited to be able to serve this association, which shares the values that I believe are essential to face the challenges of our society: professional, dynamic, open-minded and committed,” said Martins.
Naa Densua Aryeetey is Head, Shipper’s Services & Trade Facilitation, Ghana Shippers’ Authority. She has served on the Executive Committee since 2015, facilitating development and collaboration throughout the African region, including the re-activation of WISTA South Africa earlier this year.
“My re-election as Chair of the African Region is a testament to the work WISTA International is doing in Africa, reaching out to women in maritime and trade,” said Aryeetey.
WISTA International is the leading network of decision-making women in shipping and trading around the world. WISTA International is guided by the Executive Committee: Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, President, WISTA Cyprus; Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons, Secretary, WISTA USA; Connie Roozen, Treasurer, WISTA The Netherlands; Fabiana Simões Martins, Member, WISTA Brazil; Naa Densua Aryeetey, Member, WISTA Ghana; Sanjam Gupta, Member, WISTA India; Angie Hartmann, Member, WISTA Hellas. Representing more than 3,000 members in 49 countries around the world, WISTA promotes increased competency, knowledge and development for women in the maritime industry. WISTA International members work in all sectors of the maritime industry, including finance, ship building, seafarers, governing and regulatory bodies, brokers and more. The International body meets annually to vote on protocols, guidelines and strategic direction. Thirty countries were represented at the 2019 International Annual Meeting. More than 200 individuals attended the parallel conference “Founded Upon The Seas” hosted by WISTA Cayman Islands.
