Highlights from the Young Shipping Executives session on the second day of the conference

 CYPRUS, 8th October 2019: The Young Executives Session titled “Register your voice” took place during the afternoon on the second day; an interactive, capacity-building and problem-solving session organised in collaboration with Young Ship Cyprus, WISTA and ICS for young shipping professionals. An integral part of the biennial Maritime Cyprus Conference, the session took place for the seventh time, attracting over 200 attendees.

The young executives (under forty years of age) were presented with challenging topics ahead of the event which they discussed in groups with industry mentors. The session aims to provide young people with a platform to discuss their vision for the maritime industry, blue growth goals, career prospects and concerns, and to determine potential solutions to challenging issues.

The groups discussed topics from “The top 5 motivators and demotivated in maritime careers” and “Is top management too distant? How to bridge the gap” to “How to change perceptions: Shipping is dirty and old vs aviation is modern and clean”. The groups then provided short presentations, sharing their ideas on potential solutions for challenges in the industry including encouraging mentoring programmes, introducing company networking events to increase motivation and encourage collaboration. It was noted that the younger generation need to learn from the older generations and be open minded as well as trying to develop and innovate within the industry.

The moderators of the discussion were Ms Despina Panayiotou-Theodosiou, President of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) International and CEO at Tototheo Maritime and Mr Ilias Bissias, Director at Naftika Chronika magazine.

Mentors and group topics:

Mrs Anna Pittalis, Intergaz Chartering Ltd – “Transition from study to work: How do you manage it?”

Mr Demetris Chrysostomou, Columbia – “Team member to manager: How to make the leap!”

Mr Loucas Hamatsos, Olympia Ocean Carriers – Is top management too distant? How to bridge the gap.”

Ms Amie Pascoe, Blue Communications – “How to change perceptions: Shipping is dirty and old, aviation is modern and clean”

Ms KD Adamson, Futurenautics – “What are the five most promising career specialisations in maritime? How do we encourage them in Cyprus”

Mr Zacharias Shiokouros, Marinem – “From shipping to blue growth: Areas of sustainable development”

Captain Parani, Tufton – “Choosing a seafaring career. What are the incentives and new skills?”

Ms Birgit Marie Liodden, Director and Sutainability, Ocean & Communications, OBR – “Is loyalty a thing of the past? What would make you stay?”

Ms Natasa Pilides, Shipping Deputy Ministry – “Top 5 motivators and demotivators in maritime careers”

Ms Anna Vourgos, WISTA Cyprus with co-mentor Alexandros Damaskinos, Secretary of ICS – “Are NGOs delivering enough for you? Five tangible initiatives for them to undertake”