The next IMO secretary-general: Minna Kivimäki
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MINNA Kivimäki is the second candidate for the position of secretary general of International Maritime Organization featured in the Lloyd’s List podcast ahead of voting next Tuesday for the top diplomatic job in shipping.The four-year appointment begins on January 1, with the winner to succeed the incumbent over the past eight years, South Korea’s Kitack Lim.

Lloyd’s List has interviewed all the candidates, asking them to explain why they nominated and their plans for the IMO should they be successful. Today we talk to Kimivaki, who along with Panama’s candidate, Arsenio Dominguez, is one of several favourites for the job. Her candidate brochure can be found here - Minna Kivimäki candidate brochure

The current permanent secretary for Finland’s ministry of transport and communications is no stranger to the IMO in London, nor Brussels. This makes her an attractive candidate for many of the European member states where the 27-country block is developing its own regional regulation on climate change for shipping alongside the IMO’s global approach.

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While nothing can be taken for granted despite this late stage of the campaign, Finland’s candidature had the clear support of many of the European countries, with the exception of Greece, which declared its support for the Turkish candidate early in the peace.

The candidates are: Bangladesh (Moin Uddin Ahmed), China (Zhang Xiajojie), Dominica (Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry), Finland (Minna Kivimäki), Kenya (Nancy Karigithu), Panama (Arsenio Dominguez) and Türkiye (Suat Hayri Aka) all put forward their nominations for the position, which for the first time includes three women.

The IMO must take critical decisions over the next four years, amid heavy criticism that the pace of decarbonisation regulation will compromise the United Nations agency’s role as an international regulator.

The secretary-general will not only set the tone at the secretariat, but as the public face of the IMO, the personality must bridge divisions and steer a course that will keep the IMO relevant and respected.

As most secretary-generals are re-elected for a second term, the successful candidate will take the IMO through key climate change regulations in shipping and other challenges, such as autonomous shipping, a looming seafarer shortfall, as well as digitalisation and other internal reorganisations.

Last time the council elected the secretary-general, there were multiple rounds of voting before the eventual candidate emerged.