Atty. Jean Ver Pia, former Maritime Attaché and senior official of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), has been appointed by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as Head, Asia and Pacific Section, Subdivision for Maritime Development, Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division (TCID) effective yesterday, 04 November 2024. Atty. Pia will focus on capacity building and strengthening technical cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region, working closely with countries and organizations to develop and implement key initiatives.

“Transitioning from a labor-providing IMO member State representative of the Philippines, to the IMO, I have come to realize that competent and well-trained people are crucial in implementing and enforcing our obligations to the international maritime community,” Atty. Pia expressed. She emphasized that despite the region’s diversity, “we must continue capacity building at the center of our efforts.”

Atty. Pia’s new role will involve collaborating with Asia-Pacific nations on technical cooperation projects and contributing to IMO’s strategies to ensure efficient program implementation. She will also assist in shaping policies aligned with the Technical Cooperation Committee (TC) and IMO’s broader international goals.

Through her 30-year career with MARINA, the senior maritime official has worked extensively with the IMO, while she was serving as Director of Overseas Shipping Service from 04 November 2015 to 11 June 2020, and MARINA’s Maritime Attaché to London from 01 December 2021 to 31 October 2024. Her experience also includes taking on roles as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Deputy Administrator for Planning and OIC Deputy Executive Director of the STCW Office, where she made substantial contributions to the sector’s regulatory and partnership frameworks.

An accomplished academic, Atty. Pia graduated with Law and Juris Doctor degrees from San Beda University, earned a Master of Science in Maritime Affairs specializing in Maritime Administration from the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, and completed her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom as a Nippon Foundation Scholar and a Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) Research Fellow.

Congratulations, Atty. Jean! We are proud of you!