Page 64 - Next Generation 2015 - Digtial Issue

Next Generation Asia
Her achievement has even drawn
attention from outside her company.
At the end of 2014, Ms Anand was
shortlisted as a rising star in litigation maritime experience is the best launchpad for
at the Asia Women in Business Law
Awards.
A qualified lawyer in Singapore and
Hong Kong, Ms Anand has practised
in wide-ranging areas that include
charterparty disputes, carriage of goods
by sea and cargo claims, ship sale and
purchase disputes, asset recoveries and
debt enforcement.
She also regularly writes on the
development of shipping law and
presents her findings to owners, P&I
clubs and other types of clients.
Ms Anand said she has always
taken great interest in maritime
transport due to her family background
— though not in the sense of coming
from a shipping business family.
“My father is a timber trader, so
when I was young, I kept hearing chart
dispute terms from him,” she explains.
A large part of her career
advancements can be attributed her
willingness to take on challenges.
After graduating from the National
University of Singapore with a law
degree, Ms Anand practised shipping
law in the city state for more than three
years, before moving to Hong Kong in
2008, despite lower initial pay.
She admitted that was not a
standard career move. “But I wanted
to learn different jurisdictions… I enjoy
continued challenges.”
Aside from her daily job,
Ms Anand has founded Young
Professionals in Shipping Network, a
Hong Kong-based social network for
shipping professionals with more than
500 members.
She has also been the vice-
president of Women In Shipping and
Trade Association since 2014.
“I want to help females break the
glass ceiling in the shipping world,”
she said. “The association provides a
platform for women to discuss those
matters and we can support each other.”
62 | Lloyd’s List Next Generation 2015 | www.lloydslist.com
The career of ‘Captain Eclectic’ is proof that
a quick rise through the ranks and broad
a world-beating safety programme
Hong Kong
Vikas Grewal
IT was a family thing. Vikas Grewal of practical experience. By 2003, he
could have done anything, but felt was sailing Fleet Management again
drawn to the sea. on a reefer, and earned his master’s
certificate that year.
Chennai-born Mr Grewal, head of
the business division at Hong Kong- An opportunity arose for Mr Grewal
based Fleet Management, was an to take over the planning function at
honors student in high school in both CSAV. Not long afterwards, he found
engineering and medical studies. himself in charge of the planning and
operations department at Gurgaon
“My grades allowed me to pursue in New Delhi. He was transferred to
medical studies and engineering, Hong Kong in 2006, where he was put
as well as seafaring, but I chose the in charge of organising operations for
latter,” Mr Grewal says. CSAV’s alliances.
Some of it had to do with his The global financial crisis
father, a well-known executive at intervened in 2008, causing CSAV to
Shipping Corp of India, who had a pare back its affiliations with shipping
reputation as a mentor to younger, alliances. Mr Grewal was reassigned
talented maritime workers. to sales in North Asia for CSAV in a
depressed shipping market, and began
The younger Mr Grewal, to feel the rut.
however, was determined to make
his own way. After a six-month stint It was the first time during a swift
studying mechanical engineering at rise in the profession that he reflected
university, a chance emerged to join “if I wasn’t adding value, I might leave
Barber International, a Norwegian the company or even the profession”.
shipmanager and enroll in the cadet
programme. (Always the A-student, Mr Following a chance meeting with
Grewal was selected as ‘best cadet’). Kishore Rajvanchy, chief executive
of Fleet, he was offered a job as Mr
The early-1990s were tough on Rajvanchy’s assistant. He has been at
the shipmanagement business, and Fleet ever since, becoming head of the
Barbers lost a number of ships. Mr business division last year.
Grewal was released to look for an
opening elsewhere. Eclectic in shipping in not a
bad thing; in fact, it’s a strength. Mr
Another six months passed and Grewal has distinguished himself by
he joined Univan as a cadet, staying drawing on his wide experience and
at the shipmanager for two years on organisational skills by creating a
containerships, and only returning safety management programme at Fleet
home once. He left in 1996 for Fleet that has yielded impressive results.
Management, where he served 10
months on a bulk carrier. Since 2010, when Mr Grewal
initiated the programme, Fleet’s
Mr Grewal worked for several record of lost time injury frequency
other firms over the next seven (LTIF) has been reduced by more than
years, accumulating a wide range