The UK Chamber of Shipping, which represents shipowners in Great Britain, has hired Sarah Treseder as its incoming chief executive.
Treseder will join the organisation in October from her current position as CEO of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), where she has worked for the past 11 years.
She will replace Bob Sanguinetti, who is leaving to head up the Port of Aberdeen in Scotland.
The chamber's president, Scottish shipowner John Denholm, said he is "thrilled we have secured someone of Sarah’s calibre".
"Sarah has had a stellar career spanning roles in maritime and other sectors and I know she will provide strong leadership for the organisation," he said.
"Across an incredibly tough field, Sarah was the outstanding candidate for the role, and I look forward to working closely with her in the months and years ahead."
Fresh blood
People in the UK maritime sector who have worked with Treseder previously describe her as being a good fit for the role with a strong personality.
If anything, one person said, the Chamber could be "a step down" for her, given that for the past decade Treseder has worked alongside Olympic sailors, sports bodies and royalty.
The RYA is much bigger, employing around nearly 200 people and turned over £21m ($28.9m) in 2020.
The UK Chamber, meanwhile, employs around 30 people and had £3.4m in annual income last year.
Treseder will be the chamber's first female chief executive.
Only one of the Chamber's past presidents — former P&O Ferries chief executive Helen Deeble — has been female since the organisation was established in 1878.
While recruiting its director of policy, the organisation's second in command, the chamber last year invited five men for interview, all of whom were white and most of whom had backgrounds within the Royal Navy, as TradeWinds reported at the time.
Challenges ahead
Treseder said that she knows that working to help the shipping industry reduce its carbon emissions will be key in her new role.
"The shipping sector is at a crucial stage in its decarbonisation journey and I know it will be one of the top priorities for me and the team at the chamber," she said in a release.
"I look forward to working with the UK government and leading organisations around the world as we look to reduce emissions whilst continuing to promote global trade."
But Treseder is likely to be beset by more immediate challenges at the chamber.
The organisation has for some years been criticised for its waning political influence and its membership base has shifted away from shipowners and today is largely made up of ancillary service providers.
The ongoing challenge for the chamber in recent years has been to build up and maintain its core membership.
But Treseder has had a good track record in overseeing growth in this area, a spokesperson for the RYA said.
"Sarah's tenure has seen the RYA's membership base grow to an all-time high, with over 100,000 personal members and 1,500 affiliated clubs and classes," said Loretta Spridgeon, the organisation's head of communications.
