Presidency Candidates with Statement of Intentions and Biography
Presidency Candidates
- Elvira Haezendonck (Belgium)
- Adolf Ng (China)
- Ana Cristina Paixao Casaca (Portugal)
- Gordon Wilmsmeier (Germany/Colombia)
IAME STATEMENT of INTENTION
Elvira Haezendonck
Dear IAME-members, respected colleagues, friends of the maritime world, Being an active IAME member since 1998, current council member, and conference participant for more than two decades, I would be honored and privileged to be voted President of the International Association of Maritime Economists. Our Association has steadily grown over the last 20 years, first in global expansion over all continents, and then as well in more quality of our published and presented scientific work. We can observe a loyal membership as well, with an increasing share of returning conference participants and senior researchers. IAME has matured in an open and warm association, and we should cherish this inspiring, encouraging, friendly professional environment as much as possible. But maturity also brings in new challenges. If you entrust me with this role as president, together with all IAME-members, the Council, and the Secretariat, I would like to focus increasingly on inclusiveness and impact of the association. I also would like to more actively strengthen our role in currently still under-represented parts of the world. Inclusiveness means a strong influence and commitment of all regions around the globe, and reaching out to more (interdisciplinary) researchers and other academic or industry organizations with whom we can collaborate. Together with the Council and all IAME-members, I would like to more actively strengthen our role in currently still under-represented parts of the world and develop a plan for this. Inclusiveness also means increased attractiveness to new researchers for our field, and sharing our passion with upcoming IAME-generations. Combining our annual conference with a high-level PhD-workshop could be an interesting development in this context. With impact I mean scientific impact and monitoring its integrity on the one hand, and “changing things for the better” in maritime policy and practice on the other hand. Given the applied nature of most of our research endeavors, and the pivotal role of the maritime industry in the twin transition (digital / green), the outcomes should be as much as possible shared with practitioners, executives and policymakers, and with students around the world. We should also reach out with our organization to collaborate more intensively with policy organizations, so that more of our results actually lead to changes on the ground. Very much looking forward to take up this respectful role and challenge, and I hope you will entrust me with your vote.
Elvira Haezendonck Biography
Prof. dr. Elvira Haezendonck (PhD, 2001, Vrije Universiteit Brussel – VUB, and Solvay Business School) is Full Professor at the University of Brussels (VUB), Visiting Professor at the University of Antwerp (UA) since 2004, and guest professor at Erasmus University of Rotterdam (MEL program) since 2005. Elvira is a loyal member of IAME since 2001, editorial board member of the MEL-journal, and member of the Port Performance Research Network (PPRN). She served as the Chair of the International Scientific Committee of the IAME 2018 conference in Mombasa, Kenya and contributed to the organization of the first IAME conference held on African soil. Elvira was elected IAME council member in 2020. Her research covers various topics in the field of sustainable port management and strategy, strategy and policy applied to (large) infrastructure projects, environmental and competitive strategy, and the circular economy. She has published various articles in the IAME-related journals and other scientific outlets, books and book chapters in these domains, e.g. a Palgrave McMillan book on Sustainable Port Cluster and Economic development, and an Edward Elgar book on Transport Project Evaluation. She is particularly passionate about applied research and has been involved in over 75 national and international research projects on for example strategic port and infrastructure development, social cost-benefit analysis and economic impact analysis. Since 2010, she consecutively held 3 Research Chairs, two on Public-Private Partnerships and currently one on Infrastructure Asset Management. She is also an active board member in several (port) infrastructure related companies, and has functioned several years as Department Chair, member of the Faculty Board, Board member of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and member of the University Council.
IAME STATEMENT of INTENTION
Adolf K.Y. NG
Having continuously served IAME for more than 12 years in both executive and legislative capacities (e.g., Council member, the Chief Editor of The Maritime Economist, the Associate Editor of MPM, Committees in the selection of IAME Secretariat and Annual Conference Hosts), I am fortunate enough to witness first-hand IAME’s evolution from a small, regional venture to an international organization, with members from all different parts of the world who are passionate to boost maritime research’s impacts on academia, policymaking, and industrial practice. Indeed, we have solid evidence to support such a claim: Significant increase in new members, especially from the developing world; MPM and MEL have continued to perform strongly; our official magazine, The Maritime Economist (ME-MAG), has continued to attract high profile audience, say, world-class scholars from leading universities, CEOs from terminal operators and dry port companies, chartered shipbrokers, UN policymakers, to name but a few, in sharing expertise knowledge and calling for closer cooperation with maritime researchers, notably IAME members. This is something that all of us have achieved hand-in-hand throughout the years and, without questions, we should be proud of what we have accomplished. Nevertheless, IAME has now reached a crossroad – where it has accumulated considerable capacity but needs a ‘paradigm shift’ in leadership and strategic direction so that it could become a truly global association that could ‘stamp its authorities’ and impacts on key policymaking, professional practice, and academic research. To achieve this, IAME needs a fundamental transformation so that 1) its structure and operation become more stable and sustainable; 2) it has a plan with new strategic directions that position itself much clearer among academia and practitioners; and 3) it should strive for more ‘sustainability’, not least being more accessible to financially vulnerable (potential) researchers and more equal representations, notably geography, demography, and gender in making key decisions for the Association. Being a servant of IAME for such a prolonged period, I strongly feel the responsibility and commitment to lead the Association to its next phase. If I were elected President, in collaboration with IAME members, I will undertake various actions to achieve the following: – A new scheme that would help financially vulnerable scholars and students to join IAME (e.g., the idea of lower membership fees for members from LDCs). – A new scheme that would encourage members to participate in IAME’s activities even more actively (e.g., the Annual Conference, through The Maritime Economist, the establishment of regional/theme-based (such as the rise of trading blocs and impacts on maritime research) working groups). – A new financial plan that widens the amount and sources of income for IAME, such as sponsorships and advertisements. – A stable team of professionals that would handle the daily operations of the Association efficiently (e.g., the idea of full-time administrative staff). – A Council and Executive that would reflect much more balanced geographical, demographic, and gender representations. – Continue to work with MPM and MEL to further enhance their impacts in maritime/transport research and other disciplines that are closely connected with IAME members (e.g., economics, management, operations research, finance, planning, geography, risk engineering, supply chain management, etc.). – Liaise with leading journals closely related to maritime research (e.g., Transportation Research Series journals, Journal of Transport Geography) to create more publication and editorial opportunities for IAME members, especially those from developing countries and emerging economies. – A strategic plan in consolidating the ‘IAME’s brand’ among academia and practitioners, such as the wider use of the social media. – To further strengthen ME MAG as a key media channel to catalyze high-level academic-professional cooperation, and as a valuable source of knowledge and know-how for policymaking and industrial practice. Achieving all these would be hugely challenging. It requires a leader that has achieved significant research impacts globally, possesses the vision, passion, and determination to make a real difference, and the skill, background, and experience to gain the trust and support from IAME members who have highly diversified backgrounds, culture, and expectations. Being brought up in Asia, educated in Europe, worked as a senior faculty member in four continents (e.g., Asia, Europe, North America), rich collaborative research experience in five continents, and decent academic administrative experience (e.g., as Director of Transport Institute in the University of Manitoba, Associate Head of my current university’s department), I always strive to be an important ‘bridge’ that connects colleagues between different worlds, including developing and developed countries, (interdisciplinary) academic disciplines, and academia and the maritime industry. As mentioned, I am strongly committed to continue serving the well-being of IAME members and further enhances the Association’s influence in academia, policymaking, and professional practice. Hence, I believe that I am the right person to catalyze IAME moving towards a new, bright era – an association that every IAME member would feel proud of being affiliated to. I hope that you would support my candidature to become the next IAME President.
Adolf K.Y. NG Biography
Adolf K.Y. Ng is a Professor in Maritime Transport and Supply Chains and Associate Head at the Department of Management of the BNU-HKBU United International College (China). Also, he is a Chair Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies of Université Laval (Canada). He obtained PhD from the University of Oxford (UK) and excels in the research of shipping and port management, climate adaptation planning, Arctic shipping, maritime infrastructure planning, institutional change, global supply chains, and maritime education. Joining IAME as a member in 2007, Adolf has been a long-time servant to IAME for more than 12 years. Since 2010 until now, he has continuously served as a member of the Council (in both voting and non-voting capacities) and has actively involved in making key strategic decisions for the Association, such as the election of Annual Conference hosts, election and appointment of the Secretariat, constitutional amendments, financial issues, publicity, relationships with IAME’s official journals (MPM and MEL), welfare enhancement of members in developing countries, to name but a few. He is a founding editor of The Maritime Economist, IAME’s official magazine that aims to encourage academic-professional knowledge exchange and cooperation and has served as Chief Editor since 2020. Since 2012, he has served as an Associate Editor of MPM and has actively worked to promote MPM’s reputation and influence in the academic and professional communities. Adolf’s scholarly outputs in maritime research include more than 220 publications in leading journals, scholarly books, and other forms of publications. His works are highly influential, for instance, in a 2021 report released by Stanford University on the List of the World’s Top 2% Scientists, he was included in both the ‘career-long impact’ and ‘single year impact’ sub-lists. With such expertise, he frequently offers expert advice to international organizations, for instance, UN, the European Commission, African Development Bank, Council of Canadian Academies, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Research Manitoba, to name but a few. In addition to MPM, he is an editorial member of leading journals in transport/maritime research (e.g., Journal of Transport Geography, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment). Being a senior faculty member in both China and Canada and possesses decent research and work experience in Asia, Europe, and North America, Adolf always strives to serve as the ‘bridge’ that connects the developed and developing worlds, including emerging economies. He will continue to use his background, knowledge, experience, and passion to serve the well-being of IAME members and enhances the reputation and influence of IAME in academia, policymaking, and professional practice.
IAME STATEMENT of INTENTION
Ana Cristina Casaca
I have been a member of the International Association on Maritime Economists since 2001, ever since I attended my first IAME Conference in Hong Kong. Back then, I was still doing my Ph.D. and having my paper accepted for presentation at such a conference was a crucial point in my life. One of the most striking aspects of attending the Conference was meeting some founding members of the Association and Maritime Economics as a discipline. After all, I believe that we all have the same feelings, although we seldom share them. Some of them had already been my Tutors in Plymouth. Others I met for the first time, even though their names were familiar as I was reading the work they published in Maritime Policy & Management; I started receiving MPM in 1995 when I began studying for the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Professional Qualifying Exams. Being able to meet these authors in person at a time when mobile communications and the Internet were at their early evolutionary stages is something to remember. In all this process, I have also witnessed the emergence of brilliant minds, colleagues who at the time were doing their Ph.D. and whose work is, without doubt, an outstanding one. As we go into the future, new researchers / Ph.D. Students are coming to IAME Conferences, which is excellent. As a result, the IAME Annual Conference has become a key meeting point for the different generations of maritime researchers to share their ideas, research theories, research developments et cetera. Note that at this point, I want to avoid the constraint of the word ‘economics’. Although at the time when the Association was created, the focus on the economic side of the maritime industry made all the sense, today, the maritime industry is more than economics. It embraces other important aspects such as policy, strategy, environment, informatics, logistics and supply chains, to name but a few, that, while linked to the economy, create different research areas and opportunities for research. While they are entwined in economic principles, they open scope for the integration of far distant research approaches such as the ones of artificial intelligence and robotics that will pave the way for the industry to move further into the future. The concentration of the Association on a single activity, the Annual Conference, over the years, has nevertheless limited the role that the Association must have worldwide. Therefore, if someone asked me about the added value of being a member of the Association, I would not know what to say, even though I would take the positive approach and say, ‘Go on and become a Member’. Therefore, in the quest to find an answer to the above question, I tried to weigh what we have, which is being able to attend a conference at a reduced rate, access MPM and MEL, and read ME-Mag, against the benefits that other Associations have, such as the International Association Management or the International Institute of Business Analysis. Although I have been away from the Association activities for some time now, I never stop following it. From a distance, I am deeply convinced that the Association missed a golden opportunity to let the world know about its existence during the last two years of COVID-19 confinement that forced us into lockdowns and put us all in front of wide or small computer screens. I fully understand that the changing in the working environment caused severe disruptions in our lives, but that cannot be an excuse for not positioning the Association at the level it deserves. So, numerous people do not know who we are, what we represent, and what we do. Moreover, I see their surprised face to learn about the Association. I can even say that this passive attitude opened space for the emergence of associations (for instance, the International Maritime Association of the Mediterranean). Associations are dynamic groups, not static ones, in which creativity must be brought to keep its members alive and interested in it. The Association can no longer exist as it is, sustained by domestic management. We need to be more initiative-taking. The IAME Constitution talks about its aim, which is fine. But what about its vision, mission, and goals? After 30 years of existence, the Association still lacks a strategic plan to move into the future. How can we expect to survive if we do not have a strategic plan, however simple it may be, and the commitment to do it? Are we waiting for someone else to open another association next door, to divide the existing community? In Portugal, we say something like “house robbed locks on the door”. Are we waiting for it? How can we increase the number of members and bring together other researchers of further distance research areas which are now waking up to an industry that has been hidden from the eyes of the public? Are we still living in the old days, talking to ourselves or are we willing to welcome others? It has been acknowledged that diversity increases productivity. Are we keeping ourselves away from the industry? We go on LinkedIn and Twitter, and the opportunities for webinars are there. And the connections to deliver the speeches are there as well. Why cannot the Association capitalize on such emblematic events, such as the grounding of M/V Even Given and the supply chain crisis caused by major congestion in U.S. ports, the port labour negotiations in the USWC to emphasize its mission and core values in research, professional development, and knowledge dissemination? Unfortunately, I concluded that our offer is insufficient to keep existing and attract new members. The added value of the Association must be more than what we offer. And it has been the outcome of this exercise that made me apply for President of the Association, a decision that started taking shape about a year ago. With so many generations on the move, it is time to bring all this diversity, all the fantastic speakers we have together and become a more inclusive association in which the flow of knowledge runs from one generation to the other since what we have cannot be lost. Recently, I concluded that the actual shipping knowledge is being lost because the focus has become broader, i.e., on supply chains rather than shipping, and this trend needs to be somehow reversed. A maritime culture is more than ports or even shipping. We are still missing the link with shipbuilding and other ancillary activities that support the shipping industry. And let us be very sincere. We do not need the rest if we take the ships out of the supply chain. So, revising the essence of the Association is critical to its success. We owe this to the newer generations, particularly Generation Z, which will implement the actual transformation of the industry, including the current decarbonization industry process. So, what do I intend to do? First, create a strategic plan for the Association. Show the world who we are, and what we do. The role of an institutional presentation will make all the difference. All of us will be able to use it since it will set the tone for what we do, independently of whom is representing the Association. Second, create webinars; if we think about the remarkable speakers we have and share their ideas worldwide, there is more to offer than Annual Conference. Third, bring students in, and link the industry and academia. Fourth, create training programmes; the Association cannot be dependent on membership fees. Fifth, promote research grants; explore merchandising avenues, et cetera. Furthermore, there is potential for other issues if we just let our creativity roll. Finally, still on the diversity note, it is also a good time for IAME to consider having its first female president to materialize female representation in this industry and academic sector. The opportunities are so many that if you want to contribute to a new future.
Ana Cristina Casaca Biography
I come from a family of fishermen. My father was a chief engineer and already working for the industry by the time I was born; so, I have the privilege to say that I was born and grew within the shipping industry. My infancy was spent onboard tankers, particularly on board the old Fogo, Gerês and Dondo tanker vessels owned by Sociedade Portuguesa de Navios Tanques. At 9, I made my first sea voyage onboard M/V Angra do Heroísmo, a cargo-passenger ship, to Madeira and Azores. Then, as a teenager, onboard M/T Gerês, I travelled to Odessa in Ukraine and Novorossiysk in Russia, in the Black Sea. However, my first big voyage was on board the M/T ‘Marão’ at 12 years old from Leixões to Kharg Island via the Suez Canal and returning by the Cape. This voyage that was supposed to last 45 days resulted in a 90 day-voyage where I could feel the ocean’s freedom. During all these years, I saw Mar da Palha, in the Port of Lisbon, full of cargo vessels at the time when containerisation was still in its infancy, and unaware of the changes that a box would cause in the movement of goods. In 1985, I earned my elementary nautical studies degree at Escola Náutica Infante D. Henrique (ENIDH) in Paço D’Arcos, Portugal. When I left the nautical school, I was a cadet and deck officer in Portuguese shipping companies. In 1995, when I was ashore teaching, I earned my B.Sc. in Management and Maritime Technologies at ENIDH and realised that I wanted to learn more about the industry. It was then that I came across with Tutorship programme from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. As to the rest, it all came one thing after another. In October 1997, I obtained my M.Sc. Degree in International Logistics at the Institute of Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. In July 1998, I had the good news of having passed all the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Professional Qualifying Exams. One year later, in September 1999, with a grant from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), I embarked on my PhD. This voyage lasted almost 4 years in Cardiff, under Peter B. Marlow’s supervision, where I researched the “Competitiveness of Short Sea Shipping in Multimodal Logistics Supply Chains”. I successfully obtained my PhD in International Transport/Logistics from the University of Wales – Cardiff in July 2003. Currently, I manage the ‘World of Shipping Portugal’ of which I am the founder and owner. In addition, I am an External Expert on Transport Matters for the European Commission, Member of the Research Centre on Modelling and Optimisation of Multifunctional Systems (CIMOSM, ISEL), Maritime Business Review Associate Editor, Journal of International Logistics and Trade Editorial Board Member | Universal Journal of Management Editorial Board Member | Frontiers in Future Transportation Review Editor and Journal of Shipping and Trade Guest Editor. Recently I have joined the Executive Committee of the Global Research Network Belt and Road Initiative as Vice- Chairperson and Webmaster. I am also Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and a Member of the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME). Overall, I do not know if the shipping industry has adopted me or if I have adopted the industry. I know that I am part of the industry and am passionate about it because I cannot see myself outside it. Furthermore, I guess that there are still some important issues to accomplish. The history of humanity shows how vital the industry has been to the development of the world. My only wish is that when I close the door, I can see the industry receiving the respect it deserves and that I have contributed to it, however small this contribution may be. In all this process, I also know one thing: we need to invest in education, take care of the environment, and never give up on the industry; all this will help the industry keep moving into the future. For further information about me, please follow the links below.
IAME STATEMENT of INTENTION
Gordon Wilmsmeier
I am pleased to have been nominated for the position President for our Association. I am applying for the position based on my reflections on IAME´s history, current character, and possibilities of future direction, as well as the need for maritime and port economics research to tackle current and future global challenges and opportunities of the maritime and port industry. IAME is an association rooted in a research-centred and values-directed collaboration of a global spanning network, which is essential to create an exchange of varying research approaches and ideas. To address the opportunities and challenges I see for our Association I will base my viewpoints along IAME´s objectives and promises as stated in our constitution. IAME´s mission is: to encourage and assist the education and training of maritime economists With the crisis the global systemic relevance of the maritime and port industry has once again come to the forefront. Right now, we have a unique opportunity to respond to society´s needs and expectation by offering the programs for education and training in maritime and port economics to attract and prepare the next generation of business and research leaders. As IAME we should discuss, if our programs are prepared for this task and if and how we are responding to the current and future challenges within our education and capacity building programs. to encourage the growth of maritime economics in those regions where it has not previously been effective; The IAME community for a long time has been stagnant. Over the last decade we have seen many new scholars from the Asian region, bringing more diversity to our discussions and research. However, the efforts to create research communities and see them thrive within IAME in Africa, the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent, as well as Latin America & the Caribbean, remain incipient. At the same time research groups in Europe, North America and Australia, have shown little dynamics. There is an important task ahead to invigorate the growth of our community. Independent of their origin, we have often seen young scholars attending a single or couple of conferences and then disappearing. A question to answer is how to attract the “shooting stars” to continue as an active part of IAME and form research nodes in their local and national contexts? to promote research in all aspects of maritime economics. Over the years the research fields presented at IAME conferences and pursued by their members have without doubt evolved and amplified, creating greater diversity within our research discussion. Beyond diversification a key question to address is the quality and impact of our research within the wider academic community and industry. Are we addressing significant research questions and making them visible? Are our ideas being taken up from industry and policy makers? Is our research perceived as leading and relevant in related disciplines? to take any other action to engage in or promote any activity that the Association considers desirable, in the interests of maritime economists, of the discipline as a whole or of the Association. Our Association has been working to engage and collaborate with varying institutions and there have been successes working with IAPH, UNCTAD, to name a couple. The Maritime Economist was created to highlight our research to the industry. As this vehicle exists it seems timely to engage into further and more direct dialogue with the port and maritime industry to explore and deepen the impact of our work. These objectives speak directly to my personal and professional commitments. IAME an academic home grounded in intellectual curiosity and integrity, should be positioned to develop increased visibility of the ideas created among its members. I believe that my unique combination of skills and experiences, working with the private sector, international organizations, foundations, NGOs and – scholar, make me an excellent match to be IAME´s president. Good leadership builds on trust and open communication. I work under the guiding principles of honest and transparent discourse, respect for the opinions of others, discernment and thoughtful decision-making. Fundamentally, members must be part of the decision-making process to identify with it. To be sure, there are times when complex decisions are necessary and consensus is not possible, but honesty and transparency in the process builds understanding even if the policy or decision is unpopular. I am energetic and goal driven, while I foster a work environment that welcomes solidarity, humor, trust, and direct communication. Serving from a variety of leadership positions has allowed me to learn to negotiate with patience and purpose, and importantly, to listen and learn from my colleagues and collaborators. Being president of IAME, will provide the opportunity to lead a complex association and to strategically grow our research community. As President, I will work to evolve IAME´s academic vision, promote it with consistency and creativity, and follow through on challenging initiatives. In my responsibilities I have demonstrated gains and improvements in short periods of time, I work collaboratively and creatively to ensure dedicated support from partners I admire and respect IAME’s history and evolution, and my own leadership reflects many of the same values. I am excited about the opportunities. I perceive IAME to be well positioned to expand its impact in research through committed members. I see an ideal prospect for building on IAME´s solid foundation through a strategic vision that leverages its strengths, engagement and research opportunities, and enhances its impact. I am confident that I have the energy, organizational skills, leadership, creativity, and diplomacy to be a highly effective President. I would be honored to lead our Association and respectfully ask for your consideration.
Gordon Wilmsmeier Biography
Gordon Wilmsmeier received his PhD. in Geography from the University of Osnabrück and studied geography, transport planning and informatics at the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. He is the Director of the Hapag-Lloyd CSGL at the Kühne Logistics University (KLU), Hamburg, Germany. At the same time he holds the Kühne Professorial Chair in Logistics at the School of Management, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia (since 2017). Between 2018 and July 2022 he was appointed Director of the Project Office of the Universidad de los Andes Vice-presidency for Research and Creation. In 2013 Gordon was awarded honorary professor for Maritime Geography at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen, Germany. From 2011 to 2017, he worked as Economic Affairs Officer in the Infrastructure Services Unit at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC). Previously he worked at Edinburgh Napier University’s Transport Research Institute (TRI), Scotland (2007-2011) and as consultant for UN-ECLAC, UNCTAD, UN-OHRLLS, the World Bank, Adelphi Research gGmbH, RENFE, ALAF, JICA, IADB, CAF, OAS. Over the last two decades Gordon has worked in projects and research in over fifteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Over the last 15 years Gordon’s research has focused on maritime & port economics, transport geography and logistics. Recent projects focus on port governance, sustainable port development, energy efficiency, competition in liner shipping market, digitalization and technology in supply chains, as well as nautical electromobility. He has published over 100 book chapters, journal papers, institutional publications and working papers. His recent books include: Geographies of Maritime Transport and Maritime Mobilities. In 2022 his work on climate change adaptation was cited in the IPCC report.