Welcome to WISTA

Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) is an international organization for women in management positions involved in maritime transportation business and related trades worldwide.

WISTA aims to be a major player in attracting more women to the industry and in supporting women in management positions. With networking, education and mentoring in focus we can enhance members' competence and empower career success.

WISTA is growing! With over 1.200 individual members and 25 National WISTA Associations (NWAs), our membership has increased by 40% during the past two years. 

The 2008 conference "Raising the profile - reducing the footprint", held in New Orleans in October, attracted almost 250 delegates from all parts of the shipping industry from more than 30 countries.  The 2009 Conference was held at the IMO Building in London on 16-18 September 2009. Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility are key words for the conference.

Link to upcoming BIMCO courses.

The overall winner of WISTA Personality Award 2009

Nominations has been invited from the National WISTA Associations for the WISTA Personality Award 2009. This special accolade, chosen by WISTA, recognises an outstanding personal contribution to the maritime industry. The WISTA Award will in particular focus on WISTAs values “Professional, Dynamic, Open-Minded and Committed”. These values can be exemplified through working for increased competence, bringing diversity (including gender equality) to the industry, and developing new products and/or business models.

This year three candidates were nominated. Because of the tremendous job the journalist James Brewer had offer up front the London conference, WISTA UK chosen him to be their nomine. Norway´s candidate was the Managing Director of Northedge, Bergen and also WISTA President Marita Scott. She is now stepping down, and the Norwegians wanted to salute her for all her efforts in WISTA matters. She was elected President at the Conference in Hamburg 2005. The future main objectives for her and WISTA was decided on enhance the profile of WISTA. With Marita at the helm WISTA has attract more members - from 15 associations in 2005 we now count 27 national associations. From 484 individual members in 2005 we count 1200 in 2009.

The third candidate and the overall winner is Pamela C. Conover, USA

President and Chief Executive Pamela Conover was born in Thailand. She had her first exposure to the maritime industry while she was a young child – her father worked for a British trading company. Pam was later raised and educated outside London, and worked for a year as a cashier in a London bank. At that year’s end, her plans to study geography and anthropology no longer held any interest – and her stellar ascension in the maritime world began. Conover slowly started working her way up the financial ladder at Wells Fargo Bank. After that, Conover joined United States Lines as Assistant Treasurer.
She then joined Citicorp’s ship financing division and rose to managing director of Citibank's North American ship financing division, with Carnival Corporation as one of her largest clients. In 1994, Conover became President of Epirotiki Cruises, a joint venture between Carnival and Epirotiki. A short while later, Conover became head of Strategic Planning for Carnival, and worked on various acquisitions, including the acquisition of Cunard Line, Ltd. in 1998. Conover became Chief Operating Officer, and ultimately, President of Cunard.

In 2006, Conover became President of The Yachts of Seabourn – the 3rd time she had been selected as president of a major cruise line.
Seabourn, Carnival Corporation’s luxury cruise brand, currently operates four luxury yachts with two more on order scheduled for delivery in 2010 and 2011. Conover’s hands-on approach has given her a perspective and depth of knowledge not always seen in high-level executives.
– long hours planning corporate strategy and keeping abreast of day-to-day  operations;  
– cruising at least one full cruise every year;
– sailing additional days when time permits; and
– visiting her ships when they are in port in order to interact with the staff and guests.

Of being a woman in the male-dominated shipping industry, she has said,
“My experience has been that any gender bias has overstayed its welcome and the smart operators have long since taken to recruiting talent wherever they find it.”

Her advice to young women entering this or any other industry is to:
–prepare to work hard;
–persevere;
–have confidence in yourself and your abilities; and
–push yourself to learn and try new things, even if it scares or makes you nervous.

"As a woman I relate well to other women in business and understand the issues they face. While my job as CEO requires me to help others be successful regardless of their gender, I am commonly approached by women who seek out my guidance and I am happy to be able to play that role."
Her own words and actions demonstrate how she embodies WISTA’s core values of being Professional, Dynamic, Open-minded, and Committed.

“For me, the key is to do something that matters to you, that you enjoy.  Then the effort and persistence required for success won’t be counted as a sacrifice, but as part of the fun of doing what you want to do.”

"WISTA USA was proud to propose Pam Conover for WISTA  Personality of the Year, as we recognized her unique accomplishments and strengths as a maritime professional." stated WISTA USA President Jeanne Grasso, Partner at Blank Rome LLP.  "Pam is an inspiration to women in the maritime industry and a powerful example of excellence in our industry, which has now been affirmed by the international association in selecting her as WISTA Personality of the Year."