Meet our Judges

Paul has over 30 years’ experience of the maritime sector, twenty of which have been in executive search. This builds upon a first career that saw him serving at sea, where he enjoyed two ship Commands in the Royal Navy.

Mirroring the global nature of shipping, he works in both the UK and international markets. He has placed senior executives, non-executives and chairs, in many sub-sectors of the industry.

Paul became the Chair of The Seafarers’ Charity – which helps people in the maritime community by providing vital funding to support seafarers in need and their families – in June 2020, after three years as a trustee.

Kerrie Forster is CEO of the Workboat Association and a maritime consultant with over 20 years’ experience across offshore energy, survey, civils and dredging sectors.

A former workboat Master, he has managed international fleets and developed widely adopted safety and management systems.

Based in Rotterdam, he represents the workboat and offshore contracting industries through national and international committees, publications and government advisory groups.

He is Director of the Maritime Skills Alliance, an ISM lead auditor, mentor within the Marine Society, and a published maritime author. Previous roles include Non‑Executive Director of Maritime UK and membership of several UK Government maritime bodies.

I have built my career in Human Resources, developing a strong passion for supporting people to reach their full potential.

In my current role as Head of People and Organisational Development at Griffon Marine, I focus on early professionals and creating opportunities for upskilling across the organisation. I am committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and growth-driven culture where individuals can thrive.

My experience covers talent development, organisational strategy, and employee engagement, all with the goal of helping both people and the business succeed.

Rhett joined the Chamber of Shipping as the CEO in March 2024, after leaving the Royal Navy and, most recently, the role of UK National Hydrographer, Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Defence and Data Acquisition at the UK Hydrographic
Office.

During his time in the Navy, Rhett served as a surface warfare officer, attack helicopter pilot and Joint staff officer on operations all over the world.

He held sea and air command appointments in HM Ships Penzance, Bulwark and Protector and 815 Naval Air Squadron, respectively.

Rhett has worked extensively across
government departments in Whitehall, developing policy options for political choice on issues regarding futures and strategic analysis, military capability, counter-terrorism, Joint operations and international security.

Rhett holds a Masters from Kings College London and is a graduate of the Higher
Command and Staff course and US Capstone Course. He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights and an Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers.

In June 2026, Rhett became President of the Maritime Foundation.

Penny is Chief Scientific Officer at the National Oceanography Centre, with more than 30 years’ experience in marine science and scientific leadership at national and international levels.

Previously Associate Director of National Capability Science and Head of Marine Physics and Ocean Climate, her research focuses on the North Atlantic, climate change, and the impacts of a changing ocean on society.

She has participated in over 20 research expeditions, several as Chief Scientist, and has led major national and international programmes researching the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

Penny has been awarded the Challenger Medal (2024) for distinguished contribution to marine science, the Society of Underwater Technology’s Oceanography Award (2019), and an Honorary Professorial Fellowship from the University of Southampton (2019).

Monica Kohli is a senior solicitor specializing in Maritime law. She is dual qualified in India and England & Wales and has been practicing shipping and trade law for the past two decades; as a barrister in India, and as a solicitor in the UK.

For the last 17 years she has been a Senior Lawyer in Gard, the largest of the Protection and Indemnity Clubs, advising Ship Owners, Charterers and Traders on legal issues pertaining to shipping and trade worldwide.

She has worked on internal projects looking into legal tech and innovation – including AI and NLP – making in house legal work efficient and lean. Monica has clients and members in London, Oslo, Dubai, Istanbul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Mumbai.

She read maritime law at the University of Southampton, UK and studied for an MBA ( Shipping and Logistics), at Copenhagen Business School. She speaks at events in the city and abroad on legal tech, diversity and inclusion in the maritime industry and on issues of interest in shipping law.

Monica is currently President of “Women’s International Shipping and Trade Association, UK” ( WISTA UK) and the Chair of Indian Maritime Association UK (IMA, UK). She is also a Maritime Skills Commissioner; a trustee of Seafarers Charity; and a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of International Shipping and trade Law, Swansea University.

Lars Lippuner joined the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as the Director of UK Customer Maritime Services in 2024. In this role, he oversees the UK Ship Register, the UK Shipping Concierge, Seafarer Examiners and Certification Services, Seafarers Safety and Health, Customer Insights, and Regulatory Innovation.

Before joining the MCA, Lars was an Associate Professor of Maritime Education and served as the Director of Warsash Maritime School at Southampton Solent University, a global institution for maritime training, education, and research.

Lars holds an MSc (Applied Physics) and an Executive MBA, complemented by a UK Deck Certificate of Competency, and has recently completed the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme at the Saïd Business School.

Lars has been recognised through his Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and his Fellowship of the Nautical Institute (FNI). He has also served as the chair of the International Association of Maritime Institutions and on the board of the Merchant Navy Training Board.

For more than a decade, Lars has collaborated with many industry stakeholders in his dedication to shaping the future of maritime education and the sector as a whole, driven by a passion for creating high-quality maritime career paths for individuals from all backgrounds.

In his spare time, Lars is a keen sailor with a preference for classic yachts and is also the editor of one of the world’s best-selling sailing manuals.

Dr Robyn Pyne is a leading figure in maritime education and research, with over 25 years of experience across the seafaring, academic, and policy sectors. She is an Associate Professor at Liverpool John Moores University’s Global Centre for Maritime Innovation, and is on the Board of Directors if Mersey Maritime.

In 2024, she became Associate Dean for Global Engagement with oversight of the academic quality of LJMU’s numerous international partnerships in STEM disciplines.

Her maritime career began in 1997 as a Trinity House cadet through which she gained an HND in Merchant Vessel Operations at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies. She later earned a BSc in Maritime Business & Law, an MSc in Social Research, and a PhD funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council, which explored the implementation of STCW regulations and maritime curricula in China.

Dr Pyne has worked internationally, including as a visiting lecturer at Dalian Maritime University and with the British Council.

Her research focuses on smart ports, maritime regulation, decarbonisation, and the future skills agenda. She was principal investigator for the Erasmus+ SkillSea project, which developed digital, green, and soft skills frameworks for maritime professionals across Europe, which has fed into recommendations for the ongoing update to the STCW Convention.

Sally Wattam is Events Director at Mercator Media, where she leads the delivery of major international events across the commercial marine, shipping, ports, and wider maritime sectors.

She oversees a portfolio of flagship exhibitions and conference events, including Seawork, the IAPH World Ports Conference, the Icelandic Fisheries & Aquaculture Exhibition, GreenPort Congress, Coastlink, and the Propulsion & Future Fuels conference.

With more than 30 years’ experience, Sally brings extensive expertise spanning both maritime and financial services.

Her career includes a significant tenure at Lombard Marine Finance, where she held senior leadership roles and developed deep sector insight across the leisure, superyacht and commercial marine sectors.

Commodore Stuart Wright joined the White Ensign Association as Chief Executive Officer in 2022 following a 35-year career in the Royal Navy.

He leads the charity’s work to support Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel, veterans and families with free, independent guidance to navigate the changes and challenges of Naval life.

With extensive leadership experience and a deep understanding of the maritime sector, and as a resident of the Isle of Wight, he remains actively engaged with maritime employers and stakeholders across the Solent region, championing opportunities for Service leavers and helping to strengthen links between Defence and industry.