Experienced civil servant Virginia McVea has been appointed the new chief executive of the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).
She replaces interim boss Damien Oliver, who stepped in when previous CEO Brian Johnson retired last year.
The recruitment of the former chief electoral officer in Northern Ireland means women now hold the three key public roles in UK shipping.
McVea will be responsible for safety and standards, while Baroness Vere is maritime minister and Katy Ware handles policy as director of UK Maritime Services.
MCA said it continues to work to prevent tragedies at sea, achieve zero-emission shipping and deliver excellent customer service.
McVea will oversee its response to tens of thousands of incidents at sea every year, as well as inspections carried out on thousands of UK-registered ships and the protection of more than 11,000 miles (1,600 km) of coastline.
Her appointment comes at an important time for the MCA, as it continues working to ensure the UK is the world’s best-performing coastal state and takes a leading role in both the international and domestic maritime arenas.
McVea will also support the UK’s transition to zero-emission shipping by 2050.
She will start on 3 April.
Pivotal time
Baroness Vere said: “She joins at a pivotal time for the agency as it faces both challenges and exciting opportunities, and I look forward to working with her to grow the UK flag, decarbonise the maritime sector and encourage greater investment in the UK.”
McVea has also been CEO of the Human Rights Commission.
MCA non-executive chairman Christopher Rodrigues said: “I am confident that Virginia has all the skills and qualities we need to build on the excellent work that Brian and the executive team has done over the four years of his tenure.”
Outgoing interim CEO Oliver added: “It’s been the privilege of my life to lead this incredible organisation for the past several months.”
“I am looking forward to welcoming Virginia and working together to provide a complete handover. It’s clear to me that this organisation will be in very safe hands under her leadership,” he added.
