By
Rebecca Gibson |
Isabelle Ryckbost will succeed Patrick Verhoeven as the secretary general of the European Sea Ports Organisation on 1 August 2013.
Verhoeven, who has managed the secretariat for the past thirteen years, will
assume the role of secretary general at the European Community Shipowners’ Associations.
“I very much welcome Isabelle on board,” said ESPO chairman Santiago Garcia-Milà. “Apart from her professional and personal qualities, she is a true insider in Brussels and already has an operational network in our sector.”
Ryckbost worked for more than 15 years in the European Parliament on a number of port-related cases, including two port service directive proposals and the maritime safety packages. She then joined the port sector as director of the European Federation of Inland Ports in 2009.
“I look forward to representing Europe’s seaports in Brussels. Ports are more than a business sector; they seek to combine economic and public interests. Being the main trade gates to Europe, they have a crucial role to play for our economy and welfare,” said Ryckbost. “But at the same time, ports are the driving force of many regions and have a responsibility towards their local community. I hope, where possible, to help oiling these engines of growth and, where needed, to protect them.”