Changes at the top for Hull Blyth

There has been a top-level management restructuring in the Hull Blyth SA group, ship's agency specialists in West Africa. This has taken place in its two SA subsidiary companies acquired last year, Mainport Africa Shipping (a longestablished, independent ship's agency) and Kestrel Maritime (a brokerage with a main focus on the breakbulk and project sectors). Natasha Vaughan – who, under her maiden name Flack, was instrumental in the startup of Kestrel Maritime in 2003 – rejoined the company as GM at the beginning of this month. Vaughan, with a master’s degree in maritime law and as current chairman of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), certainly has the credentials for the job. Also, Fiona Calitz, MD of Mainport, has assumed responsibility for business development for that company. And she also holds sound proof of her qualifications for the task at hand, with an MBA (cum laude) and fellowships of the ICS (FICS) and Chartered Institute of Secretaries (FCIS) to her name. The target for the new structure will be to grow the business, Calitz told FTW. “The two companies are well-known for their speciality in breakbulk and project cargoes,” she said. “With the strengthening of the management team, we first and foremost plan to lead the project market. Then to diversify out into different areas, offering clients a holistic service.”