Anne Kappel, Senior Advisor to the World Shipping Council (WSC), has over 40 years of experience in the liner shipping industry. She spent 25 years with notable carriers including US Lines, SeaLand, and Maersk, as well as 17 years at the WSC. Retired in 2022, she is a respected industry thought leader whose expertise and advice are valued by supply chain players and governments worldwide.

Anne began her illustrious career at Allen Forwarding in export documentation, where she spent her first years in the industry after being hired on the spot when she impressed the interviewer.  From that point on, Anne was captivated by the exciting "no two days are ever the same" draw of the supply chain and logistics industry.

The industry’s global reach also contributed to its appeal; moving all kinds of cargo all over the world meant learning about multiple industries and diverse cultures. It also required responding to global challenges such as earthquakes, typhoons, labor strikes, conflicts, pandemics, conflicts, multiple regulations, and most recently a global pandemic, all of which have an impact on global supply networks.

“The industry itself is incredibly interesting, and ripe with intellectually challenging situations that play to my strength as a problem solver who works to turn obstacles into opportunities,” said Anne. “Some of my more stressful projects centered around implementing organizational changes, but even in those situations it is ultimately fulfilling to see the changes help a business and its employees grow and thrive.”

While she was aware of the difficulties of working in a male-dominated industry, Anne concentrated on the work and the value it would bring with fierce determination. She was frequently one of the few women at industry related functions, but this did not deter her; she kept her focus, which enabled her to succeed in this business.

“Retaining and developing more women into leadership roles is crucial for the future of the industry. We certainly have more women in those roles today than we did twenty years ago but we still have a way to go to achieve a better balance. Women make up half of the available workforce so when companies identify potential leaders, they should make extra effort to identify potential female leaders and then provide equal career pathing and mentoring opportunities for all potential leaders. This should then result in an increased number of qualified women in managerial and leadership roles,” said Anne.

Anne has spent several years working with CII’s scholarship program, which was developed to recognize the best and brightest students pursuing careers in transportation. In recent years, CII has, in fact, seen more women being identified as rising stars in SCM programs from academic institutions. 

"I am honored to be associated with CII and applaud their efforts to sustain and expand the scholarship program over the years. In addition to directly benefiting students, it provides an opportunity to raise awareness of an industry that typically operates behind the scenes of everyday lives," Anne remarked.

Anne advises students and recent graduates to invest in their studies and choose subjects that align with their interests. For students who are unsure about their career path, she suggests keeping an open mind and to consider that a career in supply chain, logistics, and transportation offers vast opportunities for both men and women. There are thousands of companies operating under this umbrella, including trucking, warehouse, shipping, and software development firms just to name a few.

When looking for a job, do not simply rely on a job description to understand what the role is. Ask what you would be doing when you come into work each day.  Once employed, Anne believes recent hires should take their careers into their own hands by first understanding how the work they are doing supports the business and then find a way to use their strengths to add value. 

"Working at a company that you like and doing interesting work that you are good at enables you to start thinking about where you want your career to go and how to get there," advised Anne. “I have found that this industry rewards hard work, creative problem solving and a positive attitude.”