South Coast: Red Funnel achieves gender equality on executive board

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TBM Team

Red Funnel Ferries has appointed Leanna Lakes as its new operations director.

Lakes is a master mariner with over 20 years’ experience in the industry at both a national and international level. She joins Southampton-based Red Funnel from Condor Ferries where she held the position of head of safety & compliance for the past three years, working closely to drive cultural improvement and bring practical solutions to reduce operational risk.

As a member of the Chamber of Shipping’s task force for bridge team management, and as a seafarer herself, Lakes is committed to serving the British shipping industry and championing the maritime industry as a professional career choice for all. Her appointment will attain executive board gender equality for Red Funnel Group as she joins CEO Fran Collins and HR director Debbie Reed to make up a 50% female executive board of directors.

From left: Leanna Lakes and Fran Collins

CEO Fran Collins commented: “We are delighted to welcome Leanna as operations director to Red Funnel. Leanna brings a wealth of experience with a proven track record for building strong teams and improving standards, and I am delighted that we will benefit from her industry expertise.

“As an unintended consequence of Leanna’s appointment, I am also very proud that Red Funnel Group will achieve gender equality on its executive board. This is fantastic news for both Red Funnel and aspiring female seafarers in what is historically a male-dominated industry.”

TBM Team