20 May 2024 – Despina Panayiotou TheodosiouĀ voiced gratitude at being selected as recipient of the first ever IMO Gender Equality award, presented by Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez ahead of the International Maritime Organization Women in Maritime 2024 event. The award recognised Co-Chief Executive Officer of Tototheo Maritime, Ms. Panayiotou Theodosiou’s leading and pivotal role in advancing gender equality and empowering women through her tenure as President of WISTA International.
Ms. Panayiotou Theodosiou said it was a tremendous honour to have been chosen for the award. āOver the last 10 years raising awareness of the incredible work women are undertaking within the maritime industry and the importance of gender diversity, equity and inclusion have been a key focus for me on both a personal and professional level,ā she said.
The IMO said Ms. Panayiotou Theodosiou had brought significant attention to WISTA’s mission, shed light on the challenges faced by women in shipping, and raised awareness among industry stakeholders and international policy and decision makers. Her actions had also amplified the voices of women, highlighting their important contributions to the maritime industries.
Ms. Panayiotou Theodosiou was instrumental in gaining consultative status for WISTA International at IMO, and the two organisations have since launched joint initiatives, such as the Women in MaritimeĀ Survey 2021 and theĀ Maritime Speakers Bureau. The survey, which will be repeated this year, examined representation and distribution of women working in the maritime sector. The Speakers Bureau is a platform for female experts across a variety of maritime fields which seeks to ensure that conferences and events feature inclusive panels with a range of perspectives.
āDuring my time as President of WISTA International it was a privilege to be part of the driving force behind many of the initiatives related to advancing gender equality within the industry. When I look at what has been achieved I feel an immense sense of pride for being able to play a part in bringing about change,ā Ms. Panayiotou Theodosiou said.
āWith that said, we still have a long way to go, and Iād like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to continue to break down the barriers, acknowledge the need for change and work together to create a more inclusive and diverse maritime industry,ā she added.
She extended her gratitude to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides and Shipping Deputy Minister, Ms. Marina Hadjimanolis for supporting her nomination.
The IMO Gender Equality Award has been established to recognize individuals, irrespective of their gender, who, either in a personal capacity or as representatives of their institutions, have made significant contributions to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector.
Tototheo Maritime specializes in maritime technology solutions focusing on optimizing vessel and fleet performance in the fields of satellite communication, navigation systems, digitalization and end-to-end cyber security services.
About Tototheo:
Tototheo Maritime specializes in innovative, efficient and functional solutions in the fields of digitalization, satellite and radio communication, automation and navigation systems. Headquartered in Cyprus and we have our own office in Greece, Germany and partner offices in Dubai and Singapore. Our vast experience in the maritime sector provides us with the unique advantage of in depth understanding of our customersā needs combined with our dynamic approach towards innovative technologies, thus allowing our clients to generate more value out of their daily operations.
Tototheo Maritime operates in a connected dynamic and sustainable maritime sector, supported by reliable and efficient connectivity and innovative technologies ā all underpinned by the Tototheo values. We conduct our business with honesty and transparency, offering equal terms of treatment without prejudice. Our teamās foremost goal is to listen and confidently trek into the future while keeping a firm link to the present.
