West P&I has appointed Gina Panayiotou as its new environmental, social and governance (ESG) manager.

Panayiotou is an experienced maritime lawyer and industry strategist, having held senior roles throughout her career. She has worked as a legal manager at a leading shipowner, global head of shipping and energy at a multijurisdictional law firm, and in-house legal counsel for an international cruise line.

In her previous roles, Panayiotou was able to formulate internal ESG policies and workplace practices, as well as run in-house awareness briefings on issues such as diversity, sustainability, safety, and transparency. She also advised companies on ESG compliance. She will be continuing this work at West P&I, taking point on reviewing the company’s ESG approach to develop and implement effective strategies.

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“ESG is an amazing opportunity to create a better future for our industry,” Panayiotou said. “Within maritime, diversity, crew welfare, mental wellbeing and decarbonisation are top of the agenda, and I could not be more excited to embark on this new journey with West P&I, an organisation that has embraced ESG initiatives for many years. I’m confident we will go above and beyond in delivering tangible results and leading positive change in this respect for the organisation, our members, and the industry as a whole.”

“We are delighted to welcome Gina, a very experienced and highly respected figure in shipping, to the club,” said Tony Paulson, corporate director at West P&I. “At West, we are committed to enhancing and improving our ESG practices and the support that we offer to our members, and Gina is perfectly placed to drive this strategy.” 

Source: West P&I