- Petra Wilkinson joins the board of the world’s leading funder of maritime welfare organisations.
- Petra, who holds a CBE, was formerly Director of Maritime at the UK’s Department for Transport.
- She is the latest trustee to be announced after maritime stalwart Guy Platten and former British Heart Foundation CEO Simon Gillespie.
The Seafarers’ Charity has announced that Petra Wilkinson CBE has joined its board as a trustee.
Petra was previously Maritime Director at the Department for Transport (DfT), where she spent a nearly 40-year career. After joining in 1986 she went on to hold a wide variety of policy and operational roles.
She led the UK’s maritime response to crucial issues such as the Covid pandemic and French border closures, while overseeing delivery of the UK’s ‘Maritime 2050’ and ‘Future of Freight’ strategies. She was also responsible for fostering close links between the DfT and the International Maritime Organization.
Deborah Layde, chief executive of The Seafarers’ Charity, said:
“We are privileged that someone of Petra’s calibre has agreed to join our board. Knowledgeable, experienced trustees are key to our ongoing success, and I am confident Petra will add immense value to the charity over her term.”
Petra will be officially appointed at The Seafarers’ Charity 2026 annual meeting. The charity was founded in 1917 and serves as the world’s central fundraising grant funder for maritime welfare charities, granting more than £2m each year.
It advocates on a range of seafarer wellbeing issues such as financial security, abandonment, exploitative working practices, and psychological wellbeing.
Petra Wilkinson said:
“It is an honour and a privilege to join the Seafarers Charity as a trustee. I have witnessed first-hand, especially during Covid, just what a difference the charity makes. With a deep respect for the maritime community and a background working within government, I look forward to supporting the charity’s vital mission to improve the life of seafarers and their families.”
Petra was awarded ‘UK Female of the Year’ by the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association in 2023. She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to transport security.
Paul Butterworth, chair of trustees at The Seafarers’ Charity, said: “Petra has had an enviable career at the highest levels of the UK’s transport space. Her maritime expertise will be invaluable in delivering our charity’s vision where seafarers all over the world are free from need and disadvantage.”
