WISTA holds 2nd AGM

WISTA – Sri Lanka Executive Committee 2016/2017

WISTA held its second Annual General Meeting on 26 July at the Victorian, The Kingsbury Hotel. Over 100 members and invites participated at the AGM. WISTA President Shehara Jayawardena called the meeting to order and greeted all members cordially. The Annual Report and the activities carried out during the past year were read by Jayawardana and Diruni Chanmugam respectively.

Jayawardena was unanimously elected as President for another term of office distinguishing her efforts in supporting females in the shipping industry. It was delightful to see women from many leading shipping and shipping related companies being nominated as office bearers and committee members to join the WISTA Main Committee for the year 2016. 

The WISTA Sri Lanka Executive Committee members for the year 2016/2017: President – Shehara Jayawardana, Secretary – Diruni Chanmugam, Treasurer – Hannelore Baldsing, Assistant Secretary – Nilu Wickremasinghe, Assistant Treasurer – Dhashma Karunaratne.

Committee members elected were Swabha Wickramasinghe, Tania Polonnowita, Ishani Caldera, Dharshanie Illukpitiya, Anoma V. Ranasinghe, Debbie Jones, Rukshila Antony De Saram, Amali Mudunkotuwa Mendis, Dharshi Gunasekera, Catriona Jayasundera, Hiranthi Karunatilake, Shalinie De Silva, Sriyamal Gamage, Piyumi Vithanage, Nirmalee Pereira and Irresha Kotuwegoda.

WISTA Sri Lanka Committee member Rukshila Anthony de Saram was the Guest Speaker for the evening where she shared her experience been the only Naval Architect in Sri Lanka with her fellow WISTA sisters.

The executive committee has worked hard in organising a host of events in keeping with the WISTA objectives of raising the profile of women in the maritime sector and working for gender balance in an industry that’s still very male dominated. WISTA as an association have worked to encourage more women to take up careers in shipping, sharing knowledge and networking 

It was an excellent evening of networking, fun and laughter for all members present who enjoyed the revelry.