The Mission to Seafarers, a welfare charity serving merchant crews around the world, has appointed Guy Platten as its new chairman. Platten, a chartered master mariner, brings more than four decades of senior leadership experience to the role, most recently serving as secretary general and CEO of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). He takes up the position from Tom Boardley at a time when the welfare needs of the world’s seafarers remain both complex and pressing. Platten began his career at sea with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. He held senior executive and board-level positions across international trade associations, government-owned entities, and charitable organisations. During his tenure as CEO of the ICS, representing owners and operators of more than 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, he led the industry’s global response to the covid pandemic and drove lasting improvements to seafarer welfare standards. Platten was also awarded the Merchant Navy Medal in recognition of this work. “I am deeply honoured to take on the role of chair of the Mission to Seafarers. This is not merely a new professional chapter for me – it is a homecoming of sorts. Having spent years at sea myself, I know firsthand the loneliness, danger, and sacrifice that seafarers face every day. The Mission was a beacon of support then, and I have never lost my admiration for the extraordinary, often unsung work they do for seafarers and their families,” Platten said. “The Mission to Seafarers is grateful to benefit from the expertise of those from the wider shipping industry. I am delighted that such an experienced and prominent person as Guy Platten will become the next chair of the board. It is a huge pleasure to welcome him and the wisdom he brings, as with the wider industry, we face the opportunities and challenges of the coming years and continue in our determination to serve both seafarers and their families at home,” added Peter Rouch, The Mission’s secretary general. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); });